Interview with Prof. Dr. Jean-Marc Piveteau, Rector ZHAW

You announced a record number of students in 2020 - congratulations! What are the success factors? Why do students choose the ZHAW?
The number of new students has risen continuously over the last ten years. We can only speculate about the many reasons. Currently, the uncertain economic situation surrounding the coronavirus may have exacerbated the increase in new students. However, one of the main reasons for the higher number of new students at the ZHAW is the newly designed degree programs and courses that are unique in Switzerland. In addition, we provide our students with comprehensive theoretical and practical skills that enable them to respond to the rapid changes in the economy and society. This makes ZHAW graduates highly sought-after on the job market.

The ZHAW offers many different specializations: Applied Psychology, Health, Life Sciences, School of Management & Law and many more. Which departments have seen the biggest growth?
The largest increase was in the degree programs of the ZHAW School of Management and Law with over 2080 new students, followed by the ZHAW School of Engineering with around 780 new students.

Are you planning another department to meet a new market need?
No. But the departments monitor the market and social developments and are constantly revising their courses or developing new ones. Last year, for example, the Bachelor's degree course in Language Integration was created, which qualifies students to work in the fields of language course management, language coaching and language education management. In principle, studies at universities of applied sciences should qualify students for a profession. In my opinion, this does not necessarily mean that we only train students for a specific profession. Rather, we need to teach skills that enable graduates to develop further in their careers.

Every year, the ZHAW brings well-trained people onto the job market. What platforms has it already implemented so that SMEs and students can meet/exchange ideas and thus create potential job offers?
Every spring, over 1,500 ZHAW students meet representatives from various companies at the ZHAW Graduate Day. At this graduate fair, students not only make valuable contacts, but it is also organized by the students themselves. This is followed each November by the Long Night of Careers, which is organized by the Career Services of the ZHAW and the School of Management and Law. For one evening, the students deal with their professional future in a relaxed and playful way, gather ideas, get to know employers from a different perspective, make contacts and get fit in terms of job applications. Companies can also take part with presentations or workshops, but recruitment is not the main focus.

The departments also offer other events for students, such as speed dating, where they can make contact with companies. The ZHAW Career Services also offer students and graduates a wide range of advisory services.

Would you like to see more platforms that do not yet exist? If so, which ones? And could House of Winterthur support the ZHAW here?
Even though I think the ZHAW is already very well positioned in this respect, we are open to new meeting places between the business world and our students. For this reason, I could very well imagine a collaboration.

Further training is an important topic for employers and employees. With Corona, topics such as eLearning and blended learning are more relevant than ever before. This also allows for individualized working and learning. How do you see the future? How will we educate ourselves in 10-15 years?
I can't look into the future, but new continuing education courses at our university show where developments could go. Under the banner of permeability of education, the ZHAW offers continuing education courses that are largely carried out in the company itself and specifically adapted to the needs of companies and associations. This also responds to companies' efforts to increasingly integrate company-based learning into everyday working life. The ZHAW Department of Applied Psychology, for example, has been working with the telecoms company Swisscom for years on internal further training for managers. Trainers from the university and the company develop the management training and train the managers. Blended learning and flipped classroom methods are used to teach the psychological foundations of leadership and important leadership topics at Swisscom, both in web-based training courses and in active exercises.

Will we still meet the lecturer physically at all?
I am convinced that in future we will differentiate even more carefully between content that could be taught virtually and content for which face-to-face teaching is essential. There was already a trend towards reducing the number of face-to-face days before the abrupt online switchover during the coronavirus pandemic, as employers want fewer absences from work due to further training. But I can't imagine doing without it completely: Learning is an encounter. The receptiveness to learning is much higher in direct encounters.

The ZHAW prepares students for the world of work. But the world of work is changing rapidly. Where do you see opportunities for the ZHAW? Where do you see opportunities for SMEs?
The rapid pace of change requires us as a university to rethink the distinction between initial training and traditional continuing education. This change also affects our knowledge society in particular. For me, the speed at which knowledge is developing is a reason to strengthen the integration of research and teaching in the UAS model. Knowledge should be imparted in the same institution where it is created. This is the only way to ensure that it does not lose its relevance and is exciting for students when they experience how new things are created. This model is also an opportunity for the economy and therefore for SMEs. After all, we have many practice partners who come to us with their questions so that our application-oriented research can provide answers.

A personal question Mr. Piveteau: What is your favourite place in the city or region of Winterthur where you like to go to recharge your batteries?
The university library.