IAM MediaLab

The IAM MediaLab is an experimental space for the communication practice of tomorrow. Together with students, staff, alumni and partners, we explore the question: What is changing the communication professions – and how can we prepare for what lies ahead?

Since 2017, we have been creating spaces beyond the regular curriculum in which people can understand changes in communication, society and technology, recognise connections and gain orientation. We explore trends, emerging technologies, AI, design methods and new perspectives, asking which of these will be relevant to the future of communication practice.

We work collaboratively and across disciplines, both within ZHAW and with external partners and institutions. Through dialogue and co-creation with students, we experiment, test ideas and learn together. This creates experiences that extend beyond the curriculum – and opportunities to develop transferable competencies, discover individual strengths and shape a professional attitude.

Understand. Explore. Create. Grow.

The MediaLab’s activities complement degree programmes and teaching by offering inspiration, opportunities for exchange and spaces for hands-on experience. They focus on human-centred innovation, co-creation, and new methods and technologies, as well as dialogue and networking within and beyond ZHAW.

We bring together different perspectives from study, teaching and professional practice, address current developments in collaboration with professional partners and institutions, and create space to discover, experiment with and further develop new ideas.

• Coaching and support for semester projects, Bachelor’s and Master’s theses, personal projects and the development of project ideas.
• ProjectPlus: Develop personal projects or work on real-life assignments from professional partners.
• Talks and excursions on current topics: Discover new perspectives, gain insights into professional practice, and exchange ideas and build networks with inspiring people.
• Infrastructure: Computer workstation for video editing, a library of methods, a mobile TV studio and space for collaborative activities.

• Facilitated workshops for team development, strategy and process design, and co-creation.
• Consulting and support for integrating human-centred and design-based methods into teaching.
• Methods and tools for collaborative innovation processes and project development in research and teaching.

• Workshops and educational programmes: Hands-on workshops on current topics in communication and media – for example, workshops for schools on using TikTok and social media.
• Communication and media projects: Introduce real-world challenges as student projects and collaborate with students to develop new perspectives and approaches to solutions.
• Media research and user research: Examine communication and media services from a user perspective and gain a deeper understanding of contexts, needs and user experiences.
• Student Learning Lab: Systematically involve students in the development and improvement of educational programmes, digital tools and learning formats. Through user research, co-design and testing, students become active development partners.

Deepen learning, put it into practice and gain experience. The MediaLab provides a space to apply what students have learned in their studies to real-world challenges and gain valuable practical experience. Students learn how to organize projects, understand the needs of practice partners and users, and use appropriate methods to develop and test user-centered solutions.

The MediaLab is part of the Institute of Applied Media Studies at ZHAW’s School of Applied Linguistics. Co-directed by Felicitas Högger and Nadine Klopfenstein, it brings together complementary perspectives and expertise in communication, innovation, design and teaching.

Do you have an idea, a question or an interest in collaborating with us? We look forward to hearing from you.