Delete search term
To content

Main navigation

Birgitta Borghoff, MA

Birgitta Borghoff, MA

Birgitta Borghoff, MA

ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics
Institute of Applied Media Studies
Theaterstrasse 15c
8400 Winterthur

+41 (0) 58 934 61 32
birgitta.borghoff@zhaw.ch

Work at ZHAW

Position

Focus

Teaching

Professional development teaching

MAS Communication Management and Leadership

Experience

  • Member Futureskills4U Group
    Collaborative project between NextEducation and the Future Skills Alliance
    02 / 2026 - today
  • Member of the Board of Trustees Sulzberg Foundation (honorary)
    Sulzberg Foundation
    12 / 2021 - today
  • Board member ZHAW Sustainable Impact Program SIP
    ZHAW sustainable (strategic initiative)
    01 / 2021 - today
  • Senior Researcher, Creagilator, Lecturer, Consultant, Coach, Trainer, ZHAW Institute for Applied Media Studies
    ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics, Institute of Applied Media Studies
    03 / 2016 - today
  • Founder and Managing Director
    brückenwege. soul art. creative flow. entrepreneurial spirit. Winterthur
    01 / 2013 - today
  • Cultural and Creative Entrepreneur, Managing Director
    INNOVANTIQUA Cultural Entrepreneurs
    03 / 2005 - today
  • Growth Coach ZHAW entrepreneurship
    ZHAW
    01 / 2023 - 02 / 2024
  • Lecturer for Storytelliing, CAS Impact Management in NPO, Center for Philanthropy Studies, University of Basel
    University of Basel
    09 / 2023 - 09 / 2023
  • Member of the ZHAW Mittelbau Commission (MiKo-ZHAW) and Delegate of the University Assembly (HSV) at the ZHAW
    ZHAW
    05 / 2019 - 02 / 2021
  • Member of the Mittelbau Commission (MiKo-L) at the ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics
    ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics
    03 / 2017 - 02 / 2021
  • Lecturer and Consultant for Communication/Storytelling (StoryLab) and Member of the jury, Z-Kubator Academy "Do-Tank for Your Project Ideas"
    ZHdK Zurich University of the Arts
    08 / 2019 - 08 / 2019
  • Lecturer for Cultural Entrepreneurship, Business Modeling & Start-up; Research Associate and Project Manager
    ZHAW, School of Management and Law, Center for Arts Management
    11 / 2007 - 12 / 2017
  • Head of Communication
    ZHAW School of Management and Law, Center for Arts Management
    01 / 2015 - 02 / 2016
  • Freelance Correspondent
    Kultur Management Network Germany and Switzerland
    03 / 2014 - 02 / 2016
  • Lecturer for "Integral Leadership & Cultural-Creative Leadership", CAS Strategies of Social Competence
    University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
    03 / 2014 - 02 / 2016
  • Head of the Swiss Editorial Office/Office
    KM Kulturmanagement Network GmbH
    01 / 2008 - 07 / 2013
  • Director of Studies MAS Arts Management and Lecturer
    ZHAW School of Management and Law, Center for Arts Management
    11 / 2007 - 12 / 2012
  • Head of Culture & Events Department
    Access - bridge to work Association, Zurich
    04 / 2007 - 10 / 2007
  • Manager Network and Administration LUCERNE FESTIVAL ACADEMY
    LUCERNE FESTIVAL
    08 / 2003 - 12 / 2006
  • Manager Research and Network Development
    Zurich Airport, Marketing Airline & Cargo Relations, Kloten/ZH
    04 / 2002 - 05 / 2003
  • Founder and Orchestra Manager Zurich Airport Orchestra
    Zurich Airport, Kloten/ZH
    06 / 2002 - 12 / 2002
  • Portfolio Manager
    Atraxis AG (formerly subsidiary SR Group)
    04 / 2001 - 02 / 2002

Education and Continuing education

Education

  • Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics/Major: Organizational Communication (MA) / Organizational Communication, Strategic Communication Management, Applied Linguistics
    ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics
    02 / 2014 - 11 / 2016
  • Studies of Business Administration, Tourism (BA) / Business Administration, Tourism, Hospitality Management
    Kempten University of Applied Sciences, Germany
    11 / 1996 - 03 / 2001
  • Semester abroad within the scope of the BA studies in business administration/Tourism at the Kempten University of Applied Sciences / Business Administration, Tourism, Hospitality Management
    Universidad Católica Santa Maria, Arequipa, Peru
    02 / 2000 - 06 / 2000
  • Semester abroad within the scope of the BA studies in business administration/Tourism at the Kempten University of Applied Sciences / Business Administration, Tourism, Hospitality Management
    Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh, Scotland
    02 / 1999 - 06 / 1999
  • Internship abroad within the scope of the BA studies in business administration/Tourism at the Kempten University of Applied Sciences / Business Administration, Tourism, Hospitality Management
    Corning Area Chamber of Commerce, Corning, NY
    07 / 1998 - 12 / 1998
  • Apprenticeship as Certified Hotelier (best alumni) / Business Administration, Tourism, Hospitality Management
    Best Western Arosa Hotel Paderborn, Germany
    09 / 1993 - 06 / 1996

Continuing Education

  • AI-Campus - The learning platform for Artificial Intelligence
    Continuing education course Prompt Lab: Generative AI in University Teaching
    11 / 2023
  • ZHAW School of Engineering
    WBK Continuing Education Course Generative AI in Teaching and Continuing Education
    10 / 2023
  • ZHAW School of Management and Law, Institute of Business Information Technology
    Workshop Chatbot Prototyping at WINsights Symposium 2023
    09 / 2023
  • ZHdK Zurich University for the Arts
    WBK Continuing Education Course Artistic Research, Summer School
    08 / 2023
  • Hfab University for Agile Education, Zurich
    Workshop in Agile Didactics
    06 / 2023
  • ZHdK Zurich University for the Arts
    Continuing education course in UX Design, Winter School
    02 / 2019
  • PH University Zurich
    Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) University Didactics
    01 / 2018
  • University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
    Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) Applied Philosophy in a Professional Context
    11 / 2012
  • NLP Institute Zurich
    Further education in communication and coaching (NLP Practitioner)
    2006
  • ZHAW School of Management and Law, Center for Arts Management
    Master of Advanced Studies ZFH in Arts Management (MAS)
    03 / 2005

Network

Membership of networks

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0009-0001-6305-0019

Awards

FGF Cultural Entrepreneurship Award in the category "Best Cultural Entrepreneurship Project"
FGF Förderkreis Gründungs- Forschung e.V.
11 / 2014

Social media

Media presence

Projects

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

  • Borghoff, B. (2023) ‘Entrepreneurial Storytelling : Business in Geschichten verdichten’, Zeitschrift Führung + Organisation, 2023(2), pp. 101–105.
  • Borghoff, B. (2021) ‘Why writing poems is essential for entrepreneurs and academics with a multiperspective perception : reflections of an inter- and transdisciplinary researcher, lecturer, entrepreneur, coach and poet’, Organizational Aesthetics, 10(1), pp. 21–30. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-21025.
  • Borghoff, B. (2018) ‘Entrepreneurial Storytelling in Organizational Discourse’, Les cahiers de l’ILCEA, 2018(31). doi: 10.4000/ilcea.4700.

Book chapters, peer-reviewed

  • Neuhold, E. and Borghoff, B. (2026) ‘Non-cognitive competencies and holistic creative reflection skills as genuine human approaches to compassionate leadership in times of BANI and AI’, in Sharma, T., Talapatra, J., and Taşkesen, S. (eds) Compassionate organizations in BANI times : achieving SDGs through business and communities connect. Singapore: Springer, pp. 217–239. doi: 10.1007/978-981-95-5929-9_12.
  • Borghoff, B. (2025) ‘Public Storytelling in der öffentlichen Gesundheitskommunikation : Kindersterben und Demenz in der Schweiz – 2 Fallbeispiele aus der angewandten Diskurslinguistik und Designpraxis’, in Bührig, K., Kleinberger, U., and Schlickau, S. (eds) Sprache und Gesundheit : Dimensionen und Perspektiven inter- und transdisziplinär. Hildesheim: Universitätsverlag Hildesheim, pp. 76–112. doi: 10.18442/gk-1.
  • Ghilardi, U. and Borghoff, B. (2024) ‘Public Storytelling in der politischen Kommunikation’, in Stücheli-Herlach, P., Rösli, S., and Novak, M. (eds) Praxis politischer Kommunikation : Wege zur Professionalisierung in der Schweizer Demokratie. Baden-Baden: Nomos, pp. 114–124. doi: 10.5771/9783748918868-114.
  • Borghoff, B. (2018) ‘Entrepreneurial storytelling as narrative practice in project and organizational development’, in Innerhofer, E., Pechlaner, H., and Borin, E. (eds) Entrepreneurship in culture and creative industries : perspectives from companies and regions. Cham: Springer, pp. 63–83. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-65506-2_5.
  • Borghoff, B. (2017) ‘Entrepreneurial Storytelling : narrative Praktiken und Designstrategien in der Projekt- und Organisationsentwicklung’, in Perrin, D. and Kleinberger, U. (eds) Doing applied linguistics : enabling transdisciplinary communication. Berlin: De Gruyter, pp. 175–184. doi: 10.1515/9783110496604-022.

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

  • Borghoff, B. and Hess, J. (2026) ‘Creative agility and futures literacy as transdisciplinary innovation for sustainable futures : evaluating a higher education living lab with the CAIFL competence framework’, in 2nd International Conference on Creating and Managing Responsible Organisations (ICCMRO’26) : Beyond Sustainability: Creating and Sustaining Regenerative Businesses including a doctoral consortium. Macmillan Education, pp. 133–137.
  • Brucker-Kley, E. et al. (2024) ‘Friendship with AI? : Immersive Science Fiction Prototyping for responsible innovation’, in Murray, J. T. and Reyes, M. C. (eds) Interactive Storytelling. Cham: Springer, pp. 15–31. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-78450-7_2.
  • Borghoff, B., Brucker-Kley, E. and Keller, T. (2024) ‘Designing and analyzing adolescent discourses on friendship with AI using Science Fiction Prototyping’, in The 24th dmi: Academic Design Management Conference Proceedings. Cambridge, MA: Design Management Institute, pp. 992–1010. Available at: https://www.dmi.org/page/ADMC2024Proceedings.
  • Borghoff, B. and Boogen, N. (2024) ‘Transformation by Creagilization – designing the future of now with “Creative Agility”’, in 2nd Global Transdisciplinarity Conference, Mustafapaşa, Türkiye, 26-30 June 2024.
  • Borghoff, B. and Frick-Islitzer, D. (2022) ‘‘What is Creative Agility?’’, in dmi: Academic Design Management Conference (ADMC22), Toronto, Canada, 3-4 August 2022. Available at: https://birgittaborghoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/red_20220803_presentation_eproject_creative-agility_ADMCE-Toronto_3.8.22.pdf.
  • Borghoff, B. (2019) ‘Digital public discourses on antibiotic resistance in Switzerland’, in 1. Digital Health Lab Day, Winterthur, 3. Oktober 2019. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-18407.

Other publications

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

  • Borghoff, B. and Günther, P. (2026) ‘Navigating ambiguity in the middle of a merger utilizing an open-ended creagile process’, in dmi:Design Management Conference (DMC) ‘Leading Design & Innovation in the Age of AI’, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 14-15 April 2026.
  • Borghoff, B. and Hess, J. (2026) ‘Creative agility and futures literacy as transdisciplinary innovation for sustainable futures : evaluating a higher education living lab with the CAIFL competence framework’, in International Doctoral and Early Career Academics (ECA) Consortium & 2nd ICCMRO International Conference, Gurugram, India, 20-24 February 2026.
  • Borghoff, B. and Hess, J. (2026) ‘Future Skill Kreative Agilität : Umgang mit Ambiguität und Widersprüchlichkeit am Hack Winterthur 2026’, in Hack Winterthur, Winterthur, Schweiz, 6.-8. Februar 2026.
  • Borghoff, B. et al. (2025) ‘Don’t optimize – creAIgilize! : how creative agility can inspire a responsible use of AI’, in VALS-ASLA Symposium 2025: Creativity meets technology : Book of Abstracts. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, pp. 11–15. Available at: https://www.zhaw.ch/storage/linguistik/institute-zentren/imk/upload/forschung/book-of-abstracts-2025.pdf.
  • Borghoff, B. (2025) ‘Creative reflection spaces in human-machine collaboration : cultivating non-cognitive competences in BANI times’, in VALS-ASLA Symposium 2025: Creativity meets technology : Book of Abstracts. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, pp. 16–19. Available at: https://www.zhaw.ch/storage/linguistik/institute-zentren/imk/upload/forschung/book-of-abstracts-2025.pdf.
  • Borghoff, B. (2024) ‘Creative Agility for Good Health and Well-Being’, in 8. Internationale Tagung Transdisziplinäres Netzwerk Gesundheitskommunikation „Edukatorische Dimensionen der Gesundheitskommunikation“, Hildesheim, Deutschland, 25.-26. Oktober 2024.
  • Borghoff, B., Brucker-Kley, E. and Keller, T. (2024) ‘Designing and analyzing adolescent discourses on friendship with AI using Science Fiction Prototyping’, in Academic Design Management Conference (ADMC), Delft, Holland, 6-7 August 2024.
  • Keller, T. et al. (2023) ‘Science Fiction Prototyping für verantwortungsvolle Innovationen – Freundschaft mit KI immersiv erleben’, in Projektabschluss-Event Swiss Science Center Technorama, Winterthur, Schweiz, 28. November 2023.
  • Borghoff, B. et al. (2023) ‘Science Fiction Prototyping – wie immersive Szenarien diskursiv wirken’, in Schweizer Jahreskongress der Wissenschaftskommunikation (ScienceComm), Bern, Schweiz, 2.-3. November 2023. Available at: https://2023.sciencecomm.ch/fr/programme/jeudi/details/science-fiction-prototyping-wie-immersive-szenarien-diskursiv-wirken.
  • Borghoff, B. et al. (2023) ‘Freundschaft mit KI immersiv erleben – Science Fiction Prototyping für verantwortungsvolle Innovationen’, in IAM MediaLab Veranstaltung, Winterthur, Schweiz, 26. Oktober 2023.
  • Borghoff, B. et al. (2023) ‘Future Skill «Kreative Agilität» : kreagil navigieren in und durch überfordernde Zeiten’, in ZHAW Proof of Concept-Lab & IAM MediaLab Veranstaltung, Winterthur, Schweiz, 4. Mai 2023. Available at: https://birgittaborghoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/E_20230504_multiplier-event_kreative-agiltaet_PoC-Lab_borg.pdf.
  • Borghoff, B. and Frick-Islitzer, D. (2023) ‘Future Skill «Kreative Agilität» : kreagil navigieren in und durch überfordernde Zeiten’, in Departementstag Gesundheit, ZHAW, Winterthur, Schweiz, 23. März 2023. Available at: https://birgittaborghoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/20230323_workshop_kreagilitaet_dept.G_borg.pdf.
  • Borghoff, B., Hagenbuch, A. and Grütter, J. (2022) ‘„Herz über Kopf – für einen menschlicheren Umgang mit Demenz“ : Beitrag der Designpraxis zur öffentlichen Gesundheitskommunikation’, in 5. Transdisziplinäre Fachtagung des Netzwerkes Gesundheitskommunikation „Anwendungen – Eingriffe – Pflege(n)”, Winterthur, Schweiz, 24. Oktober 2022.
  • Borghoff, B. et al. (2022) ‘Erzählungen über Kindersterben, Homöopathie und Resilienz in Schweizer Diskursen : Beiträge der Angewandten Diskurslinguistik zur öffentlichen Gesundheitskommunikation’, in 5. Transdisziplinäre Fachtagung des Netzwerkes Gesundheitskommunikation „Anwendungen – Eingriffe – Pflege(n)”, Winterthur, Schweiz, 24. Oktober 2022.
  • Borghoff, B. (2022) ‘Kreative Agilität entdecken und erleben’, in IAM MediaLab Veranstaltung, Winterthur, Zürich, 9. Juni 2022. Available at: https://birgittaborghoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/red_20220609_Kreative-Agilitaet-entdecken-und-erleben_IAM-MediaLab_borg.pdf.
  • Borghoff, B. (2022) ‘”Kreative Agilität”: Kunstbasierte Strategien als narrative Praxis in der organisationalen Transformation : Beiträge der Angewandten Diskurslinguistik im Spannungsfeld von Kunst und Kommunalpolitik’, in Forschungsforum der Angewandten Linguistik in der Schweiz (VALS-ASLA), online, 18. Februar 2022.
  • Stücheli-Herlach, P. and Borghoff, B. (2019) ‘Erzählungen über Antibiotika und Resistenzen in mehrsprachigen Diskursen : Beiträge der Angewandten Diskurslinguistik zur öffentlichen Gesundheitskommunikation’, in Netzwerk Gesundheitskommunikation, Winterthur, 1.-2. September 2019.
  • Stücheli-Herlach, P. and Borghoff, B. (2019) ‘Prävention von Antibiotika-Resistenzen : was Diskurslinguistik hierzu leisten kann’, in Tagung DFG-Netzwerks «Linguistik und Medizin», Paderborn, Deutschland, 27.-29. März 2019.
  • Borghoff, B. and Bischof, N. (2018) ‘‘WHY’ : purpose-driven entrepreneurial storytelling’, in 3rd International Entrepreneurship Education Summit (IEES), Stuttgart, Germany, 30 November 2018.
  • Borghoff, B. (2017) ‘Entrepreneurial storytelling in project- and organizational development : a narrative- and discourse analytical case study in the cultural and creative industries sector’, in ILCEA4, FASP and beyond fictional and non-fictional narratives related to professional communities and specialized groups, Grenoble, France, 26-27 June 2017.
  • Borghoff, B. (2017) ‘Entrepreneurial Storytelling in Organizational Practice’, in 17th EURAM Annual Conference, Glasgow, Scotland, 21-24 June 2017.
  • Borghoff, B. (2017) ‘Entrepreneurial Storytelling oder wie wir erzählen, was wir tun’, in 2nd International Entrepreneurship Education Summit (IEES), Stuttgart, 1. Dezember 2017.
  • Borghoff, B. (2017) ‘Why entrepreneurial storytelling matters’, in 2nd International Conference: «Literacy and Contemporary Society: Spaces, Discourses, Practices», Nikosia, Cyprus, 28-29 November 2017. Available at: http://www.pi.ac.cy/pi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1815&Itemid=109&lang=en.
  • Borghoff, B. (2017) ‘Entrepreneurial Storytelling als narrative Organisationspraxis im Kontext von Kultur und Kreativwirtschaft’, in Interdisziplinäres Symposium «Die Zukunft des Kulturbetriebs in der digitalisierten Gesellschaft», Regensburg, Deutschland, 9.-10. Oktober 2017.
  • Borghoff, B. (2017) ‘Entrepreneurial Storytelling in der organisationalen Praxis : Ergebnisse einer narrations- und diskursanalytischen Fallstudie im kulturellen und kreativökonomischen Kontext’, in Studientag der VALS-ASLA, Winterthur, 6. Juni 2017.
  • Borghoff, B. (2016) ‘Entrepreneurial Storytelling in der Projekt- und Organisationsentwicklung : eine narrations- und diskursanalytische Fallstudie im kulturellen und kreativökonomischen Kontext’, in 20. Interdisziplinäre Jahreskonferenz zu Entrepreneurship, Innovation und Mittelstand (G-Forum), Leipzig, 6.-7. Oktober 2016. FGF e.V.
  • Borghoff, B. (2014) ‘Creative Entrepreneurship : Entwicklungschancen für die Kultur und Kreativwirtschaft in Winterthur und Region’, in Winterthur Urban Forum: Städte der Zukunft. Städte der Nähe, Winterthur, 27.-29. November 2014. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.
  • Borghoff, B. (2014) ‘Ergebnisse einer empirischen Potenzial- und Entwicklungsstudie zur Kultur und Kreativwirtschaft in Winterthur und Region’, in 18. Interdisziplinäre Jahreskonferenz zu Entrepreneurship, Innovation und Mittelstand (G-Forum). Proceedings (Conference presentation). 13.-14. November 2014, Weser-Ems-Halle, Oldenburg.
  • Borghoff, B. (2014) ‘Musikfestival INNOVANTIQUA ‘goes shopping...’’, in 18. Interdisziplinäre Jahreskonferenz zu Entrepreneurship, Innovation und Mittelstand (G-Forum). Proceedings (Conference presentation). 13.-14. November 2014, Weser-Ems-Halle, Oldenburg.

Publications before appointment at the ZHAW

Other publications

Borghoff, Birgitta (2016). Entrepreneurial storytelling in project and organisational development: A narrative and discourse-analytical case study in the context of culture, creative industries and creative economies. Master's thesis (unpublished). Winterthur: Applied Linguistics.