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Portrait An introduction to the IKM

For more than 10 years, the Institute of Communication and Marketing IKM has been creating added value through continuing education, applied research and consultancy for a varied array of companies and professionals working in the areas of communication, marketing and distribution management.

Research, qualification and consultancy platform

The IKM forms part of the Lucerne School of Business. At Lucerne UASA, the IKM continuously provides and advances expertise in state-of-the art communication and marketing. Particular attention is paid to the demands arising from the digitization of the market environment. The IKM members of faculty are recognised experts in their specialist fields and are involved in both teaching and research, thereby contributing substantially to the promotion of young talents.

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The Institute of Communication and Marketing IKM

  • is responsible for the bachelor's degree programme Communication and Marketing as well as the modules of the consecutive Master of Science in Business Administration – Major Online Business Marketing,
  • offers continuing education programmes in seminars and symposiums, as well as at certificate and master level,
  • is engaged in applied research and development in the area of communication and marketing,
  • provides consultancy services in the area of communication and marketing for companies, organisations and public authorities,
  • ensures knowledge transfer amongst applied research, education and business practice.

Management Team

ILK

(f.l.) Vinzenz Rast, Seraina Mohr, Eva Vonmoos, Dr. André Briw, Prof. Dr. Andreas Brandenberg, Prof. Richard Abplanalp, Prof. Dr. Michael Boenigk.

Community of practice

The Institute of Communication and Marketing IKM and its faculty are members of professional associations and networks, and collaborate with numerous partners in the field. They are actively involved in communities of practice both in Switzerland and internationally to ensure that their teaching, research and consultancy remains up-to-date and of high quality.

  • Advisory Board
  • University cooperations
  • Research partners

Advisory Board

The Advisory Board counsels the IKM on its further development and its areas of expertise in communication and marketing. It provides input and feedback from business and society for the purpose of enriching both teaching as well asapplied research and development.

Robin Barraclough, Executive Vice President Europe, Emmi Group
Daniela Bassi, Head of Marketing & Communication, Suva
Bettina Schibli, Leiterin Lesemarkt Luzern, NZZ Mediengruppe
Lukas Stuber, Managing Director, Dept
Ludovit Szabo, Operations Director Germany Switzerland, GfK
Daniel von Arx, Leiter Kommunikation, Luzerner Kantonalbank
Gaudenz Zemp-Lüthi, Direktor, Gewerbeverband des Kantons Luzern

The Advisory Board meets at least twice a year. All members of the IKM Advisory Board are simultaneously members of the Advisory Board of the Lucerne School of Business.The IKM Advisory Board members are:

  • Robin Barraclough, Executive Vice President Europe, Member of Group Management, Emmi Schweiz AG
  • Daniela Bassi, Head of Marketing & Communication, Suva
  • Beatrice Brenner, Deputy Director and Head of Communication/Rhetoric, MAZ – the Swiss School of Journalism
  • Elisabeth Meyerhans Sarasin, Managing Director, Meyerhans & Partner GmbH Communication and Business Consultancy
  • Bettina Schibli, Head of Lesemarkt Luzern, NZZ Media Group
  • Albert Schwarzenbach, Managing Director and Majority Shareholder, Polykomm GmbH
  • Lukas Stuber, CMO, Joint Proprietor and Managing Director, Yourposition AG
  • Ludovit Szabo, CEO, GfK Switzerland AG
  • Daniel von Arx, Head of Communication, Lucerne Cantonal Bank
  • Gaudenz Zemp-Lüthy, Director, Trade Association of the Canton of Lucerne

For further information on the Advisory Board members, see the IKM-Blog.

Research and cooperation partners

In the context of the campus Lucerne the IKM collaborates with the University of Lucerne and the University of Teacher Education Central Switzerland. It also pursues cooperative ventures with the MAZ – the Swiss School of Journalism.

In its collaboration with the MAZ, the IKM provides expertise in the area of institutional communication and marketing while the MAZ shares its knowledge and network in the field of practical journalism and media. One example of such a cooperation is the CAS Corporate Communication. The CAS Brand Journalism and Storytelling is also a joint venture of the IKM and the MAZ.

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Through joint projects the IKM seeks to achieve a coordinated profile development with three universities of applied sciences in German-speaking Switzerland: Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) – Institute for Competitiveness and Communication (ICC), and Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration (HWZ). Other research partners include the Institute for Customer Insight (ICI-HSG) and the Institute for Media and Communication Management (MCM-HSG) at the University of St.Gallen.

Ten key figures

The Institute of Communication and Marketing IKM was opened in 2003. Current figures:

  • 60 employees
  • 40 full-time positions
  • 4 organisational units (education, continuing education, research and services)
  • Own bachelor's and specialised major in a consecutive master's degree programme
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  • More than 40,000 hours of teaching per year
  • 15 certificate courses (CAS) and 3 master programmes (MAS) in continuing education
  • All continuing education programmes run at over 90% capacity
  • Turnover of more than CHF 3 million in continuing education
  • 3,000 successful continuing education certificates awarded since 2005
  • Turnover of more than CHF 1 million in research

IKM Competence Center

Five areas of expertise

In each of its four organisational units (Education, Continuing Education, Applied Research and Services), the Institute of Communication and Marketing IKM focuses on five areas of expertise:

  • Corporate Communication
  • Online Communication and Digital Media
  • Brand Management and Marketing
  • Professional Communication
  • Business Languages
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Corporate Communication deals with the areas of integrated corporate and marketing communication and the management of communication processes. The main focus is on how to plan, implement and control the impact of communication strategies so as to develop and maintain differentiating and relevant positioning for companies and brands.
– Head: Prof. Dr. Michael Boenigk

Online Communication focuses on the areas of online public relations and online marketing communication, cross media and content management. The core question discusses how online media can be integrated in a company's brand and communication management so as to achieve enhanced quality and efficiency and tap into new potential.
– Head: Seraina Mohr, lic. phil. I

Brand Management and Marketing looks at the areas of brand development and brand management, marketing conception, resource deployment and success monitoring, consumer/purchasing behaviour and distribution management. The focus is on issues relating to the consumer and industrial goods sector.
– Head: Dr. André Briw

Professional Communication addresses the areas of individual and presentation rhetoric, discourse analysis, interpersonal communication, conflict management, professional and target-oriented writing in the context of internal and external communication. It aims at improving communication in companies and institutions by making it more target-oriented in respect to both contents and receivers. Expert-layperson communication is key here.
–Head: Vinzenz Rast, lic. phil. I

Business Languages focus on English and a second (elective) language in business and work contexts. In addition to teaching applied linguistics in combination with economics, business management, marketing and corporate communication, professional training is also provided for intercultural and business related language skills (negotiations, presentations, various professional business communication settings, etc.).
– Head: Richard Abplanalp, lic. phil. I

Further Information