Call for Interested Candidates

The Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Geneva, within the framework of the Swiss Virtual Campus project, will eventually open the following job positions: Assistant Professor (100%), and a doctoral research assistant (50%) for a period of two and half years.

This announcement is aimed for the recruitment within the scientific community.

Overview of the project

In 1997, experts from the FU.NT (Formation Universitaire et technologies) were asked by the Swiss University Conference (CUS) to evaluate the use of new communication and information technologies (NTIC) in higher education. On the basis their recommendation (http://www.edutech.ch/edutech/publications/rapport_final_f_f.asp#partie3), the Confederation established a vast project, the Swiss Virtual Campus (http://www.virtualcampus.ch/), whose task is to promote:

1. The improvement of information technology in the universities;
2. The exploration of the new methods in order to transfer knowledge for the promotion of learning, autonomous, flexible and open;
3. The development of innovative teaching centers;
4. The evaluation of all the experiments in progress;
5. To offer a close cooperation between the Federal Polytechnic Schools, the universities and High Schools, in partnership with other participants;
6. The reinforcement of Swiss participation involving international efforts.

Since the first call for proposals, 27 projects have been adopted, within a one-year, development timeframe. (http://www.virtualcampus.ch/projects/projects.asp?details=0). Each project unifies several universities, all with different linguistic backgrounds, and who are committed in using materials produced within the framework of existing curriculum. These projects imply strong dimensions of both multi-linguistic and multi-institutional on a real scale basis. A second call for proposals was launched at the end of 2000 and is the selection of projects is currently in progress.

In this context, two poles of evaluation will soon be created (February 2001), one in the French-speaking region of Switzerland (possibly with Geneva, TECFA, Université of Geneva), and the other in German-speaking region of Switzerland (probably in Zurich, Institut of pedagogy, Université of Zurich).

TECFA (http://tecfa.unige.ch)

TECFA is an educational technology within the faculty of psychology and educational sciences at University of Geneva. Founded 11 years ago, TECFA is concerned with the evaluation and development of new technologies in the field. It constitutes a significant pole of competence in Switzerland. As an example, TECFA developed the first Swiss Web site just after CERN, and later on opened its first post-graduate diploma (STAF) on-line. This master’s degree program is devoted to informative technologies and combines both a distant and presence approach to teaching and learning. More recently, the first virtual campus was created in 1997. TECFA remains active and involved in many European and international projects (EUN, LEARN NETT, RECRE@SUP, DUTICE) as well as projects for the CVS (SWISSLING, Computer for Health).

Geneva

Geneva and its surroundings offer interesting working opportunities. Geneva has the infrastructures of a large city without sharing the inconveniences of them. Near to the Lake Leman and the Alps, the area offers many assets for a quality of high life.

Posts that can eventually be created:

Assistant Professor Position

Profile 

• PhD in Educational Sciences and/or Psychology (or equivalent) in relation with educational technology
• Focus
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary group
• Ability to interact and communicate with different groups
• Expertise in methodological and technical aspects of a virtual campus
• Experience in projects between inter-institutional and international partnerships

Responsibilities

• Imply methods of evaluation that are specific to innovative teaching, in collaboration with the national and international community ·
• Evaluate the current projects according to a bi-polar regional distribution
• Participate in the coordination of the evaluation of project CVS with other participant and mainly the Steering committee.

Working Language :

French and English. Knowledge of German and/or Italian is an advantage.

Conditions of Contract

• 100%
• Class 23, annuity 0
• Gross salary: 102,000 CHF
• Limited contract
• Start: probably summer 2001
• End: probably end of 2003

  Doctoral research assistant position (50%) Profile

• Degree in Educational Sciences and/or Psychology (or equivalent)
• Participation in the following research domains: educational technologies, project management, evaluation of teaching and management of the innovation, campuses virtual. Publications attesting of the gained experience is an advantage
• Capacity of evolving/moving in a multidisciplinary team
• Participation in projects and partnerships inter-institutional or international
• Capacity of communication and interaction with various teams of languages and formations different

Responsibilities

• Participate in different activities involving CVS projects under the direction of the Assistant Professor in charge of the project.
• Work on a doctoral thesis within the project’s domain

Working Language :

French and English. Knowledge of German and/or Italian is an advantage.

Conditions of Contract

• 50%
• Class 8, annuity 2
• Gross salary: 29,000 CHF
• Limited contract
• Start: probably summer 2001
• End: probably end of 2003

Interested candidates should send a letter of application and curriculum vitae (written or via e-mail) addressed to:

Dr. Daniel Peraya
TECFA /F.P.S.E.
F.P.S.E., Université de Genève, 40 Bd du Pont d'Arve
CH-1205 Genève

e-mail: daniel.peraya@tecfa.unige.ch