Director
Management Board
The Management Board is responsible for the strategic direction and operational management of the Basel Academy of Art and Design (HGK Basel).
The voting members of the Management Board:
- Director
- Head of IADE
- Head of IAGN
- Head of ICDP
- Head of IDCE
- Head of IXDM
- Head of staff
- Head of Campus
- Head of Communication
- Representative Employee Participation Organisation (MOM)
- Assistant to the director (minutes of the meeting)
The Head of Finance, the Head of HR and the Chair of the HGK Basel Student Council have a relevant seat and relevant voting rights as extended members of the Management Board. The assistant to the director is responsible for sending out invitations and the minutes of the meeting.
Advisory Board
Renowned personalities from the working world of arts and design form the Advisory Board of the Basel Academy of Art and Design. The advisory board accompanies and advises us with their specialist and practical expertise in all matters of higher education development. With its outside perspective, the advisory board supports our quality and continuing development.
The Members of Advisory Board 2025 – 2028
- Dr. Danah Abdulla, Associate Professor at Decolonising the Arts Institute and the Design School at Camberwell, Chelsea, and Wimbledon Colleges of Art at the University of the Arts London (Advisory Board Member 2021–2024, 2025–2028)
- Dr. Hazbi Avdiji, lecturer on design sciences in business and diversity issues in the workplace at the University of Lausanne and HEG Genève; Co-director diversity at Helvetiarockt (Advisory Board Member 2025–2028)
- Sarah Harbarth, CEO and Founder of KUORI (Advisory Board Member 2025–2028)
- Prof. Gabi Schillig, Professor for Space-Related Systems and Exhibition Design at the Universität der Künste, Berlin (Advisory Board Member 2021–2024, 2025–2028)
- Christoph Schmid, Partner and Design Lead Interactive Things, Zürich (Advisory Board Member 2024–2028)
- Johanna Seelemann, Designer, Leipzig/Reykjavik (Advisory Board Member 2025–2028)
- Pedro Wirz, Artist, Zürich (Advisory Board Member 2024–2028)
- Dr. Maja Wismer, Head of Collection & Research, Kunsthaus Zürich
- Esther Zumsteg, Director Kabinett Herzog & de Meuron, Basel (Advisory Board Member 2021–2024, 2025–2028)
Units
Staff
The Staff unit, which includes the Education Office, the Continuing Education Office, the Research Office and the Quality Management Office, as well as HR, Finance and the Central Student Administration (ZSA), provides technical, administrative, financial and personnel support for the development of the university.
Head
Team
Communication
The Communications unit is responsible for presenting, promoting and marketing the university in a manner appropriate to the target audience, as well as for media relations. The exhibition and discourse space, as well as education and experimentation space CIVIC, is also part of the Communication unit.
Head
Team
Campus
The Campus unit is responsible for campus operations and infrastructure, as well as construction and investment planning. The Campus unit includes the Campus. Workshops, the Media Infrastructure team, Facility Management and the Events team.
Head
Team
Institutes
The five institutes of HGK Basel are responsible for bachelor's and master's degree programmes as well as continuing education courses. They are also active in the areas of research and services in accordance with their fourfold mandate.
Institute Arts and Design Education (IADE)
Institute Art Gender Nature (IAGN)
Institute Contemporary Design Practices (ICDP)
Institute Digital Communication Environments (IDCE)
Institute Experimental Design and Media Cultures (IXDM)
Participation
Employee Participation Organisation (MOM)
MOM is the Employee Participation Organisation at the FHNW. Participation has been governed by the FHNW collective labour agreement (GAV) since 1 January 2007.
The purpose of the Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW Participatory Commission (GAV A4.5 Abs.4) is to represent staff interests at the Academy level (GAV A4.2) and become involved in the running of current operations (GAV A4.9) according to the respective areas of participation and participatory rights (GAV A4.3 Abs. 3).
The Basel Academy of Art and Design Participatory Organisation is made up of ten members representing the various staff categories. It includes lecturers, research associates, as well technical and administrative staff members from of the Academy’s institutes, in consideration of appropriate gender representation.
Co-Presidency
Katharina Kemmerling & Ralf Michel (Chairpersons)
Contact
mom.hgk@fhnw.ch
Employees of the HGK Basel can find more information under this Inside-Link.
Student Body
The Student Body of the Basel Academy of Art and Design represents the interests of the students. It promotes the exchange of experiences among students from all institutes and degree programmes, supports student projects, communicates with lecturers and the director and is involved on behalf of selected committees at the Academy.
One member of the student council is on the board of students.fhnw, the student organization of the FHNW. This represents the interests of all FHNW students. The board consists of nine members from the nine schools of the FHNW, sets the strategic direction of the student organization and controls the office.
Co-Presidency
Jo Arndt
Dirk Klein
Finance
Izzem Gemici
Events & StudiLounge
Lotte-Mo Berkhan
Jonathan Schenker
Juno Feierabend
Communication
Jasmin Koç
Representatives
Developments in sustainability, diversity and digitality are key concerns for HGK Basel. The representatives in the respective areas take a participatory approach across the entire university.
Digitality
Contact person for digitality
Sustainability
Contact person for Sustainability
Diversity
The FHNW and the Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW recognize and endorse with their diversity policy the rich cultural and social backgrounds of their students and staff members and promote the awareness of diversity as a potential and resource. The principles of diversity and equality find clear expression at the federal level, in university law, in the FHNW treaty, as well as in numerous strategic papers and documents. The existence of a central staff unit and part-time equal opportunities officers at each university underpin the significance of the principle of diversity and equality.
Further information
Accessibility HGK Basel
The buildings of HGK Basel are accessible for wheelchairs, stroller and people with walking difficulties. The entrance to the highrise building (Building D) is at ground level, the studio building (Building A) can be reached via a ramp. There is at least one elevator in both buildings. Toilets for people with disabilities are available on all floors.
Further information: Accessibility HGK Basel
Contact person for Diversity
Alumni HGKx
The HGKx is an association that provides a platform for former students of the University of Art and Design (HGK Basel) to network, share experiences and knowledge and support each other. The organization is run and designed by volunteer alumni and students, and the purpose is to create a vibrant and authentic community that adds value to the network.
It is important to emphasize that such organizations can only be successful through active participation and co-creation by all. By contributing their knowledge and skills, graduates can simultaneously make new connections and expand their professional networks.
Open Positions
Campus HGK Basel
FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
Basel Academy of Art and Design
Freilager-Platz 1
4142 Münchenstein near Basel