Professor in Learning Technologies & Distance Education (100%, open rank)
Based on a modern campus in Brig, UniDistance Suisse is a university institute accredited under the HEdA, which for over 30 years has been offering Bachelor's, Master's and continuing education programmes in the fields of law, psychology, mathematics, IT, economics and history. These programmes are designed to be taken in parallel with family life, a professional or sporting career, thanks to a flexible distance learning model.
UniDistance Suisse maintains high quality standards in both university teaching and research. The institute is aiming for university reaccreditation in 2027 to become the University of Valais, marking a historic step for the institution and the canton.
With almost 2,400 students, UniDistance Suisse is the leader in distance education in Switzerland. The institute employs more than 550 staff from all over Switzerland and abroad, nearly 450 of whom are involved in teaching and research, and are recognised experts in their respective fields.
To strengthen and further develop our competencies in digital teaching and learning, we are opening a position for a:
Professor in Learning Technologies & Distance Education (100%, open rank)
Place of work: Brig (partly home office possible)
Begin of work: 1st December 2025 or upon agreement
UniDistance Suisse invites applications for the position of Professor in Learning Technologies & Distance Education. The new professor will lead innovative disciplinary and interdisciplinary research at the intersection of education, technology, and society. Candidates are expected to establish a research agenda that strengthens UniDistance鈥檚 position as a leader in digital learning and contribute to advancing distance education through innovative technologies, including artificial intelligence and data-driven methods. Teaching obligations will consist of 2 modules per year for an assistant professor and 4 modules per year for an associate or full professor. Assistant professors will have 125% of assistant positions, and associate and full professors will have 200%. Professors will also supervise PhD students in the field of digital distance teaching and learning. The new professor will play a key role in establishing a center for digital learning and teaching and will collaborate with the Educational Development Unit in Distance Learning of UniDistance Suisse to ensure innovative and effective approaches to digital distance education. Collaboration with colleagues across faculties will also be crucial. We seek a professor who will contribute to the overall development of UniDistance Suisse beyond the boundaries of the discipline.
Your tasks
- Conduct innovative research in digital distance teaching and learning within higher education.
- Establish and lead an interdisciplinary competence center for digital distance teaching and learning and network with other national and international competence centers in this field.
- Play a strategic role in advancing UniDistance Suisse鈥檚 position as a leader in distance education and innovative learning methodologies.
- Supervise doctoral and master students conducting research in digital distance teaching and learning.
- Publish research findings in reputable, peer-reviewed journals focusing on digital teaching, learning, and educational technologies.
- Acquire competitive third-party funding (e.g., from the Swiss National Science Foundation and other Swiss or international research funding organizations).
- Explore and implement emerging technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and/or data-driven approaches to enhance digital teaching and learning).
- Collaborate with professors across UniDistance Suisse to conduct interdisciplinary research and develop and improve study programs and modules, integrating research-based approaches and innovative tools focusing on distance education.
- Transfer knowledge to broader audiences through translational activities.
- Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in digital teaching and learning by designing tools and methods that support learners of all backgrounds and abilities.
- Actively engage in academic self-administration and governance of UniDistance Suisse.
Your profile
- A PhD with proven research excellence in digital teaching and learning.
- Proven experience in developing, implementing, and/or evaluating learning tools.
- Strong interest in and experience with didactic principles and higher education teaching methods related to mathematics, computer science, psychology, history, law, or economics.
- Outstanding national and international recognition as a researcher in digital education.
- Teaching experience at the university level (incl. supervision).
- Expertise in emerging technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, virtual/augmented reality, and/or data-driven methods in educational contexts).
- Proven ability to collaborate effectively nationally and internationally.
- A strong commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in digital teaching and learning.
- Experience in research management and a successful track record of acquiring third-party funding, required for associate or full professorship levels.
- Fluent in English (written and spoken), with a willingness and institutional support to develop proficiency in German and French within the first 2-3 years.
We offer
- Excellent employment conditions, competitive salary, research funding, and generally supportive working conditions.
- Comprehensive support in building a motivated and high-performing research and teaching team.
- Opportunities to develop, implement, evaluate, and experiment with innovative teaching methods in distance education.
- A collaborative and innovative environment with access to nationally and internationally recognized research activities and networks.
We look forward to receiving your complete application by e-mail by March 30th, 2025, to Human Resources at jobs@unidistance.ch.
The position is open at all academic levels: assistant professor with tenure track, associate professor or full professor. The grade will be determined according to the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. Candidates are invited to clearly specify the level of professorship for which they are applying.
The application documents include a motivation letter (maximum of two pages), CV (including a list of publications), list of presentations, list of third-party funding, research plan (maximum of two pages), and teaching statement (maximum of two pages).
For further information, please contact Prof. Dr. Thomas Mettler, Professor at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science (thomas.mettler@fernuni.ch), Prof. Dr. Corinna Martarelli, Vice Rector for Teaching and President of this Commission (corinna.martarelli@fernuni.ch) or Patrick Constantin, Head of HR (patrick.constantin@unidistance.ch).
