Ansgar Zerfass, Dr., born 1965, is chair professor in strategic communication at the University of Leipzig, Germany since 2014. The institute was founded in 1916 as the first of its kind in Germany and regarded as the birthplace of communication science in Europe. He is also Professor in Communication and Leadership at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway, since 2013. Previously, he was Professor in Communication Management at the University of Leipzig since 2006. Several offers from international universities have been rejected, e.g. for an Endowed Chair at the USC Annenberg School of Communication in Los Angeles. Dr. Zerfass is in charge of the graduate program Master Communication Management at Leipzig University, which is ranked number one among all academic PR courses in Germany since several years. In Oslo he teaches within the Master of Management program Corporate Communication Management.
He holds a university degree and doctorate in business administration and a postdoctoral lecture qualification (Habilitation) in communication science. He has received several awards both for his academic work and his communication campaigns. Several students supervised by him have been awarded European and national prizes for the best master theses in communication management or were invited to present their research at national and international academic conferences.
Dr. Zerfass is editor of the “International Journal of Strategic Communication” (Routledge Publishers). He has published 33 books and more than 280 journal articles, book chapters, and study reports papers in several languages so far. He runs a large number of empirical projects, for example as lead researcher of the annual European Communication Monitor, the largest transnational study on strategic communication in more than 40 countries (since 2007), as initiator of the Asia-Pacific Communication Monitor and as coordinator of the multi-year research program “Value Creating Communication” across several universities.
He is also heading the office and scientific director of the Akademische Gesellschaft für Unternehmensführung und Kommunikation (Academic Society for Corporate Leadership and Communication), an initiative initiated by chief corporate communications officers of more than 35 global companies based in Germany which supports knowledge transfer and funds leading-edge research at various universities.
Current areas of research:
Corporate communications, SME communication, online Communication, measurement and evaluation, communication value
Scientific awards
2016: Impact Award, Journal of Communication Management / CCI Conference, New York
2016: Top-Paper Award, International Public Relations Research Conference, USA
2016: Koichi Yamamura International Strategic Communication Award, IPRRC
2015: Jackson Jackson & Wagner Award, PRSA Foundation, Atlanta
2014: Pathfinder Award, Institute for Public Relations, New York
2014: Top-Paper Award, EUPRERA Annual Conference, Brussels
2014: Koichi Yamamura International Strategic Communication Award, IPRRC
2013: Top-Paper Award, International Public Relations Research Conference, USA
2013: Jackson-Sharpe Award, Institute for Public Relations, USA
2012: Top-Paper Award, EUPRERA Annual Conference, Istanbul
2012: Top-Paper Award, International Public Relations Research Conference, USA
2011: Jackson-Sharpe Award, Institute for Public Relations, USA
1997: Ludwig-Schunk-Prize for Economic Science, University of Giessen
1995: Albert-Oeckl-Prize, German Public Relations Society (DPRG), Bonn
1995: PhD-Award, University of Erlangen-Nueremberg
1989: Award of the Hermann-Weiler-Foundation, Nuremberg
Awards for communication campaigns
2010: PR Report Award “Innovative PR-Strategy”
2009: Federal Award for University Communication, BMBF/HINB
2005: German Multimedia Award
2000: German Public Relations Award (Deutscher PR-Preis)
Personal Awards
2010: Most innovative PR Researcher in Germany (newsaktuell/dpa)
2005: “PR head of the year” of the year in Germany (DPRG)
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