Raphaël Zaffran
Raphaël Zaffran is the Deputy Director of the University of Geneva’s Centre for Continuing and Distance Education. In this role, he leads the Centre's organisational streamlining through digital transformation. His current research focuses on learning in the age of artificial intelligence, including the ability to concentrate as a key 21st-century skill and the impact of attention fragmentation and AI-related dynamics on the social and pedagogical contract. He is the founder and host of the LifelongLearning@UNIGE podcast.
Since 2019, Raphaël also manages the Centre’s learning portfolio and activities, overseeing the team that advises programme directors and their teams on the creation and implementation of continuing education programmes, including curriculum development and tailored (e-)learning & development solutions. Between 2020 et 2023, he was the coordinator of the University of Geneva’s Distance Learning Taskforce.
Before joining UNIGE in 2017, Raphaël held various positions at The Geneva Graduate Institute’s continuing education department, including Head of Region for Central Asia, and Head of Customised Programmes for organizations and governments. A political scientist by training specialising in international security policy, Dr Zaffran has taught and conducted research in the field of political communication, with a particular focus on the issue of strategic narratives within military interventions. This led him to design a continuing education course on “Essential Skills in Policymaking”. He has worked for the Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) and was a research affiliate of Open Briefing. Raphaël holds a PhD from the Geneva Graduate Institute, an MA from McGill University and a BA from Royal Holloway University in London. He recently completed the UNIGE Certificate of Advanced Studies in Design and Development of e-Learning Projects.