Undergraduate and postgraduate education and work experience
- Since 2000: Professor at the FHNW School of Social Work of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
- 1999: PhD in Pedagogy/Social Education at the Philosophical Faculty of the University of Zurich
- 1992: Dipl. Social Work
- 1991: Licentiate phil. I, Social Work, University of Fribourg
- 1984-1991: Studied social work, sociology, criminal and family law at the University of Fribourg and the Free University of Berlin
Practice activities and responsibilities
- Since 1985/1997: Co-founder and since 1997 president of the Dessaules Foundation, Biel (decentralised residential care groups)
- 1997-2007: President of the Swiss AIDS Federation
- 1995-1997: Member of the Board of the Swiss AIDS Federation
- 1989-1990: Johannesstift Spandau, Berlin: social educator in a residential group for the rehabilitation of young people with disabilities
Main focus
Research and development
- Social scientific HIV research: HIV prevention, HIV protective behaviour and social work offers for people with HIV
- Stigmatisation and discrimination
- Research-based intervention development and innovation in social work
- History of social work
Teaching
- Scientific theory and research methods
- Responsibility in continuing education
- CAS Research in the Social Sciences (cooperation with the University of Zurich)