The topics of the ZHAW
The future viability of society is a central concern of the ZHAW. Our university therefore focuses on current challenges and pursues three strategic directions in these areas: Transformative, entrepreneurial and European.
ZHAW digital
Do we still need banks in the age of Bitcoin? How will we learn in the future? And what impact will digitalization have on our everyday lives? Experts at the ZHAW are looking into the digital transformation and working on innovative projects in education and research: a digitized collection of Swiss dialects, reducing food waste with artificial intelligence and a digital campus with free continuing education, to name just a few current example.
ZHAW sustainable
By implementing its sustainability strategy, the ZHAW is assuming its share of social responsibility. In the field of sustainable development, it conducts research, imparts knowledge and prepares its students to meet the ecological, economic and social challenges of the present and future.
ZHAW entrepreneurship
The ZHAW is an Entrepreneurial University. It is a place where entrepreneurial thinkers and actors meet, where these “shapers” broaden their horizons, develop and grow. What they have in common is their will to tackle challenges in society and industry - courageously and responsibly. They benefit from the community, which is enlivened by the interaction and diversity of our university and our partners.
Lifelong-Learning
Lifelong learning is becoming increasingly relevant in a rapidly changing world. As an educational institution, the ZHAW is particularly challenged in this respect. Aware of this, the ZHAW has supplemented its university strategy with a lifelong learning strategy. This has laid the foundation for the further development of the university and its educational programs in terms of promoting lifelong learning.
Open Science
The ZHAW promotes Open Science through openness in research, teaching and innovation. Learn more about Open Access publishing, Open Research Data and Open Educational Resources and how they enrich the scientific community and society. By implementing Open Science, the ZHAW will further strengthen its role as an innovative and responsible university and contribute to the advancement of knowledge and education to shape a better future, with openness and transparency.
Interdisciplinary competence centers
As an interdisciplinary university, the ZHAW pools its expertise wherever possible and has established interdepartmental collaborations in specific areas. In these competence centers and networks, researchers from different departments and disciplines work together on solutions at the interface of applied research, digitalization and innovation.
- Datalab – The ZHAW Data Science Laboratory
- Digital Health Lab – to fostering digital transformation in the healthcare sector
- GEKONT – Kompetenzzentrum für Technologien in der Gesundheitsversorgung (in German)
- CYPHER – Child and Youth Public Health Research competence network
- Angewandte Gerontologie AGe+ (in German)
EELISA European University
EELISA European University promotes the interdisciplinary transfer of knowledge, skills and technology between the students, researchers and employees of the alliance universities. The university alliance is guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and is committed to inclusion and diversity. For this reason, the acronym EELISA is also a tribute to a famous Romanian engineer. Elisa Leonida Zamfirescu was one of the first women to be awarded an engineering degree in 1912 and was internationally recognized.