First time election
2021
Year of birth | Nationality
1968 | Switzerland
Professional career and education
Barbara Fontanellaz received her doctorate in social pedagogy, social psychology and philosophy from the University of Zurich in 2008. She has been Director of the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training SFIVET since the beginning of March 2020. Previously, she headed the Department of Social Work at the University of Applied Sciences St. Gallen from 2014. Barbara Fontanellaz was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Swiss National Science Foundation and chaired the Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences' Conference on Social Work until 2020. She also completed a CAS in Leadership and Governance in Higher Education at the University of Zurich and the HEM Executive Program "Leading in Higher Education – Higher Education Management". She gained further experience in the field of education as a member of the department management as well as head of department and head of study program Bachelor Social Work at the Department of Social Work of the ZHAW from 2008 to 2014 and as an assistant at the Institute of Educational Science of the University of Zurich from 2001 to 2008.
Other activities and vested interests
· Member of the Board of Directors of covai AG;
· Member Project PgB-P11 Pilot Program for Strengthening the Dual Competence Profile of Young Professionals at Universities of Applied Sciences and Universities of Teacher Education.
