Congratulations to our IWI-HSG award recipients Dr. Andreas Janson, Prof. Dr. Roman Rietsche, Prof. Dr. Ivo Blohm and Prof. Dr. Jan Marco Leimeister, as well as to Prof. Dr. Bernadette Dilger (IWP-HSG) for this joint achievement.

The challenge. Automation, digitalisation and demographic change are accelerating skill obsolescence – yet participation in continuing education has been declining. Individuals, companies and intermediaries have lacked a shared, data-driven way to describe, match and develop competencies over a working life.

The response. Running from 2022 to 2025 and a consortium spanning HSG, EPFL, ZHAW, University of Zurich, EHB and industry partners, SCESC built an integrated "circular economy of skills" connecting labour-market demand, continuing education and individual competency development. The HSG team contributed conceptual foundations for linking competencies, tasks and learning outcomes in a shared structure, developed AI-supported approaches for capturing skills across formal, non-formal and informal learning, and designed personalised recommender systems that make continuing-education pathways transparent and learner-centred.

The impact. The project culminated in the launch of Work-ID, the digital skills ID for the Swiss world of work. Users can match their dynamic competence profiles against more than 200,000 open positions, while HR teams use the connected "Skills Manager" to map workforce capabilities and plan targeted up- and reskilling. Beyond the platform, the project produced high-impact publications in journals and presentations at renowned conferences, and several completed and ongoing doctoral theses at IWI (Dr. Eva Ritz, Dr. des. Andreas Göldi, Alexander Meier) and IWP (Marco Strate).

A strong example of how design-based research with implementation partners can connect rigorous theory, technological innovation and tangible societal impact. Our sincere thanks go to Innosuisse for the funding and continued support that made this journey possible.

Link to the Official Announcement: www.unisg.ch/de/videodetail/news/hsg-impact-award-2026-kreislaufwirtschaft-der-faehigkeiten-und-kompetenzen/

Link to the Dies Academicus 2026: www.unisg.ch/de/newsroom/hsg-festtag-der-dies-academicus-zwischen-spitzenforschung-und-einer-musikalischen-welturauffuehrung/