Annual report 2017 of the ZHdK
Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) publishes its 2017 annual report: the focus of the past year was on making studies more flexible, the allocation of 1.5 million Swiss francs in federal funding for doctoral programmes and initiatives in the field of digitalization.
According to its press release, the ZHdK worked at various levels in 2017 to optimize its teaching and research for the future: Research and teaching are better connected and designed for the future, and even more attractive doctoral programs have been created in partnership with doctoral-granting universities.
The ZHdK has implemented a new model to promote university-wide learning. This enables students to take modules with an overarching concept and to attend courses in a "foreign" department. The new specialization in Sound Design, which will start in the 2018/19 autumn semester, is an example of this: a broad and individually expandable range of subjects takes into account the heterogeneous environment of sound for film, interactive media and video games. Further concepts and measures to individualize the course and increase its permeability are being planned, according to the ZHdK press release.
The ZHdK reached a milestone for the promotion of young talent in April 2017: four of its five applications for project-related contributions from the federal government for doctoral programs with partner universities entitled to award doctorates were approved. The ZHdK is cooperating with the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design, the University of Reading and the University of Art and Design Linz. A further program is being carried out jointly with ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich. The federal government is funding the ZHdK's programs with a total of 1.5 million Swiss francs.
The ZHdK set up a Digital Council in 2017 to bundle digitalization topics. It provides strategic advice to the university management in the area of digital change and coordinates the implementation of measures. The ZHdK also took part in Switzerland's first Digital Day. The involvement in the Digital Day will continue in 2018.
PDF of the annual report:
https://www.zhdk.ch/file/live/8c/8ccc82364db19a3900ce2c68c1bf8312d6c26283/20180305_jahresbericht_zhdk_2017.pdf