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Prof. Dr. Emanuela Chiapparini

Profile

Prof. Dr. Emanuela Chiapparini Co-Abteilungsleiterin

Contact

Links

  • Address Berner Fachhochschule
    School of Social Work
    Abteilung Soziale Systeme
    Hallerstrasse 10
    3012 Bern
You can find more information on the German profile page.

Activities

Teaching

  • Bachelor's and Master's programme

  • Continuing Education Module Applied Research (2020-2023)

  • Workshops and corses for people experienced in poverty and professionals

  • Participatory models in poverty policy

  • Transdisciplinary cooperation and organisation

  • User Involement and Peer Groups

  • All-day school, Quality, Inklusion and Wellbeing

  • Participation in foster care of children and young people

  • Children and Youth Study

  • Qualitative research methods, mixed methods

CV

  • Emanuela Chiapparini is since April 2026 Co-Head of the Social Systems Division and Co-Head of Reserach at Berne University of Applied Sciences, Departement of Social Work. Before she was Head of Institute Childhood, Youth and Family Bern University of Applied Sciences, Department of Social Work, since 2022.

    She has conducted empirical research in the interrelated areas of school/after-school care, leisure time, and peer work, which involved the development and application of specific social research methods such as participatory approaches, user-involved research, and child-centered research. So, in the ongoing peer work project (SNSF Project 227353), she has involving people affected by poverty as co-researchers to develop tailor-made concepts for peer work in the cities of Bern, Biel, and Neuchâtel. The implementation of these concepts is accompanied by a mixed-methods impact study.

    Other important work in recent years has included various applied research projects commissioned by education authority, social services, federal agencies and non-governmental organizations.
    During the funding period (2019–2024) of the National Platform against Poverty, in which participation was set as a priority theme, the Federal Social Insurance Office (FIS) and the National Platform against Poverty
    commissioned Emanuela Chiappparini to carry out numerous projects in which the impact potential of participation processes could be proven among persons affected by poverty in poverty policy measures and projects. These reports built a body of references literature for Swiss participation research on poverty reduction and prevention.

    Further research topics include all-day school, cooperation, well-being, school social work and parent education in and outside of school. In this regard, she has made a significant contribution to establishing the role of social work, the broad understanding of education and the quality criteria in the afterschool activities and taking into account the views of children and young people in the evaluation of all-day schools, as well as their benefits and the use of all-day schools.

    Her expertise in Switzerland and abroad is reflected in the writing of academics and experts in reviews of projects, lectures, publications and other research assignments, participation in advisory groups on the development of paticipation in poverty reduction and prevention as well in all-day schools and quality frameworks for school social work.

    Emanuela Chiapparini has made research-based contributions to clarifying that in order to combat poverty, it is important to give a voice to those affected by poverty, to involve them in anti-poverty measures and projects, and to allow them to play an active role. To this end, certain key conditions must be met to prevent negative consequences such as the inappropriate shifting of responsibility.
    Furthermore, private and public support services need to be reviewed with regard to accessibility, as well as economic and political conditions.
    She is involved in various academic professional organisations in the fields of social work and educational science, both in Switzerland and internationally. In 2026, she was elected as member of the coordination group for the Council on Poverty Issues in Switzerland (National Platform Against Poverty) and to the Executive Board of Caritas Bern.

    Further she has made research-based contributions to clarifying that learning takes place not only in the classroom but also in the leisure activities of all-day schools and that the well-being of the child is to be understood as a point of orientation for all-day school development.
    She was elected as a board member of the Swiss Childcare Association (Kibesuisse), so that these approaches can be broadly and directly incorporated into education and social policy. In addition, she has made a key contribution to the dissemination of knowledge on the topic of all-day schools (e.g., CAS in Italian-speaking Switzerland/SUPSI), and her expertise is regularly requested by renowned media, including several interviews on Swiss radio and television.

    Finally, in 2009, she co-founded the interdisciplinary peer mentoring group for qualitative researchers (QualiZüri) and led it for many years. This has made a significant contribution to the establishment of qualitative research at university level, promoting conferences in Switzerland and strengthening young researchers in their careers.
  • 2026-ongoing Co-Head of the Social Systems Division and Co-Head of Research Bern Universtity of Applied Sciences, Department of Social Work
  • 2022-2026 Head of Institute Childhood, Youth and Family Bern University of Applied Sciences, Department of Social Work
  • 2022 Lecturer University of Fribourg
  • 2019-ongoing Lecturer and researcher (Prof FH) with a focus on «Social Work at School» and «poverty prevention» Bern University of Applied Sciences
  • 2014-2018 Lecturer and researcher at the Institute «Childhood, Young People and Family» with a focus on «Social Work at School» Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  • 2014-2016 Three international research stays Boston University and New York University
  • 2014 Researcher in the SNFS-Projekt „Back to the everyday life “ University of Zurich
  • 2013 Researcher, EUMARR-project (SNFS, ESF) University of Zurich
  • 2012 Researcher, youth project about association activity of young people in the March (SZ) supported by foundation Mercartor Schweiz, idee:sport and Jugendbüro March) University of Zurich
  • 2012-2014 Lecturer in sociology of youth and qualitative methods University of Zurich
  • 2012-2014 Postdoc in sociology of youth University of Zurich
  • 2010-2011 Research assistant in sociology of youth University of Zurich
  • 2009-2013 Co-founder and co-supervisor of the research group QualiZüri University of Zurich
  • 2009 Visiting researcher Universities of Canterbury and London
  • 2021 Continuing Education in Leadership: Development, Reflection and Empowerment in Leadership Bern University of Applied Sciences
  • 2012-2014 Academic Didactic Program "Teaching Skills" University of Zurich
  • 2011 PhD thesis about young people and broken rules at school, University of Zurich "Ehrliche Unehrlichkeit. Eine qualitative Untersuchung zur Tugend Ehrlichkeit bei Jugendlichen an der Zürcher Volksschule" (Budrich Verlag) University of Zurich
  • 2004-2006 Advanced training in Social Sciences and Religion Florence
  • 2001 M.A. Thesis about Values and Education of Young People at School University of Zurich
  • 1995-2001 M.A. in Educational Science, Philosophy, Religious Studies University of Zurich
  • 2014-2016 Three international research stay Boston University and New York University

Projects

Publications

Memberships

  • WERA-IRN Extended Education

  • Expert in different boards (e.g. SNSF, Foundation DROSOS or AJB Zürich)

  • Reviewer of Scientific Journals (e.g. International Journal for Research on Extended Education, Diskurs Kindheit- und Jugendforschung oder Beiträge für Lehrerbildung)

  • PowerUs