Institute Digital Communication Environments (IDCE)
Through the propagation of digital media and the concomitant democratization of communication channels, the critical approach to visual and interaction-based design has manifestly gained in importance, not least because it has fundamentally changed the significance of information and communication in society.
The aim of the Institute is to apply the new technological achievements by means of experiment in realistic as well as speculative scenarios in the context of communication, for the purpose of developing new application models. Unlike established technologies, new technological advancements can be deployed differently from their originally intended purposes. At the Institute, this new experimental approach is seen as a basis for a reflective engagement with communication, visual communication, images and their impact, along with technological development in general.
The Institute pursues its activities with regard to training through the BA degree programme Visual Communication and Digital Spaces and the research-focussed MA programme Digital Communication Environments.
In the field of continuing education, the Institute offers two MAS degree programmes in Graphic Design in collaboration with the University of Illinois Chicago, along with the Basel Summer and Winter Workshops, respectively.
In the service sector, the ANDICO LAB handles communication projects on behalf of public institutions, organizations, and businesses. In research, the Institute carries out externally funded projects in the field of applied media, communication, visual, conceptual and design research. PhD projects in the aforementioned fields are offered in collaboration with universities in Switzerland and abroad.
Projects (DE)
Thesis-Projects: nextgeneration.hgk.fhnw.ch
You can get insights into current projects from our various programs on our Institute’s Instagram channel: @hgkbasel_idce
Current projects from the IDCE study programmes: openhouse.hgk.fhnw.ch
Network and partners
The Institute Visual Communication has a diverse network of partner institutions that includes, among others, the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India, the Paju Institute of Typography, South Korea, the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei and the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, USA.
Meet our team
The Institute Visual Communication is run by a highly motivated and internationally orientated team of lecturers, assistants, research associates and administrative staff. Team members engage themselves in current discourse around praxis, research and theory of visual communication. They are qualified for the preparation of students for current and future questions.
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