Balzer Lars, Prof. Dr.
Balzer Lars, Prof. Dr.
Lars Balzer, Prof. Dr. phil., Dipl.-Psych., is head of the Evaluation Unit at the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET), where he and his team are responsible for questions of evaluation in research, teaching and internal as well as 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. 2005 Doctorate in psychology with a thesis on the evaluation process. Since 2005 at the SFIVET (formerly 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 SFIVET.
He has more than 20 years of teaching experience, first as an IT trainer and later as a lecturer at various academic and other institutions (including the universities of Bern, Giessen, Johannesburg, Koblenz-Landau, and Luxembourg) in the fields of evaluation, diagnostics, social science research methods, and statistics.
His projects, research and publications include the evaluation of reform projects in vocational education and training, advice on evaluation projects, the analysis of conditions for successful evaluation projects, or the development and testing of a concept for early detection and promotion in basic vocational training for apprenticeship dropout prevention.
- since 2017: Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training SFIVET in Zollikofen (Switzerland)
- since 2009: Head of Evaluation Unit at the SFIVET
- 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) (former Swiss Pedagogical Institute for Vocational Education until 2006) 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)
Since 2001, teaching assignments in the fields of «evaluation», «diagnostics», «social science research methods» and «statistics» at various institutions and organisations:
- Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (Switzerland)
- 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)
- Co-editor of the journal Lehrerbildung auf dem Prüfstand (LbP)
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of IFES - Institut für Externe Schulevaluation auf der Sekundarstufe II
- 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
- 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)