Brigitte Kürsteiner

Dr. Brigitte Kürsteiner serves as the Head of Global Engagement Office and local coordinator of the PIONEER University Alliance at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH). She is affiliated with the Hugo P. Cecchini Institut and the Vice Rectorate for Research. Her roles include strategic global engagement leadership, monitoring international educational policies, and managing BFH's participation in multilateral programs like Interreg. Previously, she held academic positions at the Pädagogische Hochschule Luzern (2007–2023) as a lecturer and head of International Relations, and was a secondary school teacher in Bern (1994–1999).

Education: PhD in Social Policy (University of Freiburg, 2022), Master of Advanced Studies in Intercultural Communication (Università della Svizzera italiana, 2014), and M.Sc. in Geography (University of Bern, 2001).

Research focuses on mobility learning, institutional transformation in higher education, and European policy frameworks. Current projects include the African-European School Dialogue and UAS4Europe initiatives. She contributes to strategic topics like humane digital transformation and sustainable development at BFH.

Professional memberships span the European Association for International Education (EAIE), Swiss Universities' Africa Cooperation Cluster, and academic networks in geography education. Fluent in German, French, and English, she has expertise in Switzerland, France, Cameroon, Ghana, and Tanzania.