“Construction law is hard to avoid. In Switzerland, it accounts for a third of all cases brought before the courts. Whether it is buildings, roads, railways, heritage, landscape or environmental protection, regional planning or land ownership, construction law touches on all our lives. And Fribourg is considered a national center of expertise in this field.” Professor Jean-Baptiste Zufferey is well-placed to make such a declaration: he holds the Chair of Administrative Law at the University of Fribourg and co-directs the Institute of Swiss and International Construction Law with Professor Hubert Stöckli.

Every two years, the Institute organizes the Swiss Days of Construction Law (Journées suisses du droit de la construction). Since 1975, some 1,500 legal experts, economists, public administration and construction professionals have flocked to Fribourg to attend this unmissable and important conference. According to the conference coordinator, “The event is held in French and German and runs over several days. It serves as a national center of construction law expertise. As well as offering an overview of the latest precedents in public and private law, it takes a closer look at a select choice of topical issues.” The most recent conference, which was held in January 2023, included a deep dive into the world of building permits, an examination of the legal relationship between public law and climate-related issues, as well as the adaptation of prices and deadlines due to supply chain bottlenecks.

A renowned continuing education provider

Every other year, the Institute holds the Public Procurement Symposium (Colloque Marchés Publics), which explores the latest developments in the field and analyses key matters of substantive and procedural law. The research work carried out by members of the Institute team is frequently cited by the Swiss courts and the Institute’s academic journal is “read by every judge, lawyer and legal practitioner working in the administration or in a construction and real-estate company in Switzerland.”

But an overview of the institute and its work would not be complete without mentioning its continuing education courses, which have grown considerably in recent years. “Our Certificate of Advanced Studies in Construction and Real Estate Law is extremely popular and attracts seasoned professionals from across Switzerland.” Professor Zufferey is delighted at the course’s success, “It’s a great advertisement for the University and the Law Faculty.” In addition to all these activities, the Institute team uses its expertise to draft legal opinions, conduct mediation and arbitration processes, carry out thought leader missions, and work closely with the Smart Living Lab on specialist research projects.