Lars Balzer, Prof. Dr.

Balzer Lars

CV Lars Balzer (pdf)

Lars Balzer, Prof. Dr. phil., Dipl.-Psych., is head of the Evaluation Unit at the Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training SFUVET in Zollikofen / Switzerland, where he and his team are responsible for the topic evaluation in research, teaching and internal and external project work.

Studied psychology at the University of Koblenz-Landau / Germany, graduated in 1998. Then research assistant at the Centre for Educational Research (ZepF) at the University of Koblenz-Landau, with a doctorate in psychology with a thesis on the evaluation process in 2005, awarded as university's best dissertation in that year. Since 2005 at the SFUVET (formerly Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training SFIVET and Swiss Pedagogical Institute for Vocational Education SIBP). 2011 Acquisition of the SVEB-1 certificate of the Swiss Federation for Adult Learning. 2014-2016 Senior Research Fellow at the University of Johannesburg / South Africa. Since 2017 Professor at SFUVET.

He has more than 25 years of teaching experience, first as a free-lance IT trainer, later with teaching assignments at various academic and other institutions (including the universities of Bern / Switzerland, Koblenz-Landau / Germany, Giessen / Germany, Luxembourg / Luxembourg and Johannesburg / South Africa, as well as the Cambodia Development Resource Institute in Phnom Penh / Cambodia) in the fields of “evaluation”, “diagnostics”, “social science research methods” and “statistics”.

His projects, research and publications include, among others, the evaluation of reform and innovation projects especially in vocational education and training, consultancy in evaluation projects, or the analysis of conditions for successful evaluation projects.

Work experience
  • since 2017: Professor SFUVET (formerly SFIVET)
  • since 2009: Head of Evaluation Unit at the Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training SFUVET (until 2021: Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training SFIVET) in Zollikofen (Switzerland) 
  • since 2001: Various national and international teaching assignments in the fields of "evaluation", "diagnostics", "social science research methods", and "statistics"
  • 2014-2016: Senior Research Fellow at the Faculty of Education, Centre for Education Practice Research, University of Johannesburg (South Africa)
  • 2005-2009 Senior Researcher, responsible for evaluation at the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET) (until 2006: Swiss Pedagogical Institute for Vocational Education) in Zollikofen (Switzerland) 
  • 2000- 2005: Junior Researcher and Lecturer at the Centre for Educational Research, University of Koblenz-Landau (Germany)
  • 2001: Visiting scientist at the Swiss Pedagogical Institute for Vocational Education in Zollikofen (Switzerland)
  • 1995-2001: Free-lance computer instructor
  • 1999-2000: Junior Researcher at the Centre for Educational Research, University of Koblenz-Landau (Germany)
Education
  • 2011: Certificate SVEB (Level 1) - A basic qualification in adult education recognised throughout Switzerland, in responsibility of the Swiss Federation for Adult Learning
  • 2008: Swiss federal certificate as part-time trainer in Vocational Education and Training (VET) at the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training SFIVET in Zollikofen (Switzerland)
  • 2005: Dr. phil. (equivalent to Ph.D.) in psychology at the University of Koblenz-Landau in Landau (Germany)
  • 1992-1998: Psychology studies at the University of Koblenz-Landau in Landau (Germany)
Teaching experience

Since 2001, teaching assignments in the fields of "evaluation", "diagnostics", "social science research methods" and "statistics" at various institutions and organisations:

  • Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training SFUVET (Switzerland) (until 2021: Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training SFIVET)
  • University of Bern (Switzerland)
  • Bern University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland)
  • University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (Switzerland)
  • University of Koblenz-Landau (Germany)
  • University of Education in Heidelberg (Germany)
  • University of Luxembourg (Luxembourg)
  • Institut de Formation continue (Luxembourg)
  • University of Giessen (Germany)
  • University of Johannesburg (South Africa)
  • Cambodia Development Resource Institute (Cambodia)

List of all teaching assingnments

Projects
Evaluation of LIFT youth project
LIFT (in German: 'Leistungsfähig durch individuelle Förderung und praktische Tätigkeit') is an integration and prevention project for young people that focuses on the transition from lower-s... More information
Publications
Transfer into practice
Presentations
Mandates/Memberships

 

  • Head of the working group "Research on Evaluation" of the SEVAL - Swiss Evaluation Society
  • Participation in the working group "Evaluation Standards" of the SEVAL - Swiss Evaluation Society

 

  • Member of SEVAL - Swiss Evaluation Society
  • Member of DeGEval - Evaluation Society
  • Member of EES - European Evaluation Society
  • Member of the AEA - American Evaluation Society