Board
President
Prof. Dr. Thomas A. Bauer
Dr. phil, Dr. h.c Thomas A. BAUER is professor emeritus at the Institute of Communication at the University of Vienna. Over the years he developed a research and teaching program in the fields of media cultural studies, media literacy research, media theory, media philosophy, and media epistemology. Other research and teaching areas include film studies, futurology, cultural studies, environmental communication, health communication, transcultural dialogue of religions, migration, minorities, and social change issues.
In addition to theoretical work, he is committed to a critical-reflexive interrelationship between theoretical analysis and innovative media practice, which led, among other things, to the co-founding of OKTO Community TV Vienna.
Among other things, he is president of ESEC (European Society for Education and Communication), which organizes the European Media Award (Erasmus Media Award) for outstanding educational media, which has been awarded annually in Vienna and Berlin since 2006.
His academic work has always been international in scope, and he has established academic collaborations with universities in the EU, Asia, Latin America, the USA, China, Turkey, and the Balkan countries.
He worked as the scientific coordinator of the Eramus+ CBHE project MEDLIT with academic partner universities from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Netherlands, and Germany. He also has experience as coordinator and partner of various European projects under GRUNDTVIG; LEONARDO; ERASMUS and ERASMUS+ programs, especially in the field of media, communication, media literacy, and media change.
Contact: president@esec.wien
Vice-President
Dr. Bernd H. Mikuszeit
Dr. Bernd H. Mikuszeit studied sports science and mathematics at the Technical University Karl-Marx-Stadt and the Pedagogical University Potsdam. Diploma in education, teaching degree in physical education, and mathematics for upper secondary schools. Several years of teaching experience at secondary schools in the district of Bad Freienwalde. Aspirantur and 1981 doctorate in general education, media in the classroom, at the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences in Berlin.
From 1971 to 1990, Dr. Mikuszeit was a research associate at the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences in Berlin for research and development work on teaching media for physical education and mathematics. He coordinated research on media in sports in cooperation with the sports science sections of colleges and universities.
Since 1991, Dr. Mikuszeit has been managing director of the Institute for Education and Media of the Society for Education, Information and Media e.V. and project manager and project coordinator for German and European media projects. Dr. Mikuszeit is vice chairman of the Gesellschaft für Bildung, Information und Medien e.V. (Society for Education, Information and Media).
Dr. Mikuszeit’s work focuses on media didactics, media documentation, evaluation of media and media projects. Numerous publications on educational media for physical education, media for contemporary history, ethical and digital education, and media didactics.
Secretariat General
Secretary General
Mag. Michael-Bernhard Zita, Bakk.
Michael-Bernhard Zita is a project manager with more than 10 years of experience with EU (co-)funded educational projects, especially the coordination of CBHE projects, as well as key competences in higher education didactics and course development and many years of training experience.
He holds BA and MA degrees (Mag.phil. & Bakk.phil.) in Communication Studies (focus: systems theory and media literacy) from the University of Vienna, where he was also involved in organizing teaching and running courses.
Besides his role as Secretary General of ESEC, he works at ipcenter.at in the field of project management and as a freelancer for the Ministry of Education to make media literacy activities in Austrian schools visible.
In his spare time, he is working on his dissertation in communication studies in the field of needs, services, and functions of a European Digital Public Sphere. In doing so, he tries to develop a theoretical concept and to spread the idea of thinking of a future European media space as an enlightenment engine to establish an open society as a third model besides data capitalism and data statism.
Contact: secretary-general@esec.wien