While many of those implications may be positive by facilitating communicative processes, there is a considerable risk for inequalities to be exacerbated due to disparities in access to digital tools, as well as the continuous reproduction of gender, sexuality, and social class biases and stereotyping in digital tools.

The PhD programme leverages the expertise of ZHAW and UniBE; institutions with strong research backgrounds in Applied Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, and Digital Humanities. Their collaboration so far has focused on issues such as linguistic diversity, social justice, the impact of digital tools on language and society, and the methodology of transdisciplinary research. The PhD programme addresses critical issues, such as the digital divide, gender biases, and the marginalization of less common languages in the digital realm, by promoting equitable access and digital literacy.

Key activities include joint workshops, seminars, guest lectures, and master classes that enhance inter- and transdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange. The PhD programme also features summer and winter schools, the creation of sustainable digital teaching materials, and collaborative research that bridge theoretical and practical insights. Transdisciplinary collaboration with industry and public organizations further strengthens the practical relevance of the research.

Through these initiatives, the PhD programme will strengthen innovation and supports PhD students in addressing linguistic problems that matter for society-at-large. In doing so, it contributes to positioning Switzerland as a driver of socially relevant research on language, inequality and social justice, building on its multilingual and intercultural landscape.