Berat Zekaj — Digital Designer, Lecturer & Changemaker

(About)
Digital designer · Lecturer · Changemaker

I make complicated things feel simple.

I’m Berat Zekaj, a digital designer, lecturer and changemaker based in Amsterdam Noord, with roots in Peja, Kosovo. I move between design, technology and education, turning complex problems into things people can understand, use and improve.

Students reached yearly: 385+
Internships supervised: 40+
Training sessions per month: 3×
MSc · Cum laude: 8.3

“We, the students of yesterday, are the changemakers of today.”

Valedictorian speech, MSc Economic Transformation (2025) — Read the speech

(The human side)

Outside work, I’m usually exploring Japanese streetwear, adding another pair of Salomons to the collection, or finding my way back to Kosovo. A little shy at first, probably making a joke five minutes later.

(Expertise)
UX/UI · Service design · Innovation

From messy problem to working service.

UX/UI Design

Interfaces that feel obvious. I start from user research and information architecture, then iterate from wireframe to high-fidelity prototype and a documented design system developers enjoy using.

User research · Prototyping · Design systems
Service Design

Every touchpoint, front stage and back stage. With journey maps, service blueprints and co-creation sessions I align teams around the experience people actually have, and the organisation behind it.

Service blueprints · Journey mapping · Co-creation
Digital Innovation

Exploring what’s next, responsibly. From AI concepts to creative technology, I help teams test new ideas quickly and weigh their impact on people, organisations and society.

Creative technology · AI & ethics · Prototyping

(Experience)
Work, 2018–now

Teaching, training and building.

Work
Role	Organisation	Field	Year
Lecturer, coordinator & coach	Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences	Education	2022–now
Founder & trainer	Berr	Training	2024–now
Advisor, volunteer	DUO Youth Council	Public sector	2023–now
Researcher, during my master	Amsterdam Donut Coalition	Systems change	2024–25
Front-end developer	Output4you	Development	2021–22
Specialist	Apple	Retail	2020–21
Internship	NoProtocol · Royal FloraHolland	Development	2020–21
Internship	Daily Paper Clothing	Web & e-commerce	2018–19

HvA, 2022–now

Lecturer in three Associate degree programmes: Frontend Design & Development (~80 students a year), Smart Media Production (~160) and Cyber Security (~145). I teach “The web is for everyone”: HTML, CSS, JavaScript and design.
Curriculum coordinator for the final year of Frontend Design & Development: wrote the learning-line plan, aligned the teaching team and chaired the coordination meetings.
Coordinator of “Learning ability & ethics” at Smart Media Production, one of the five competencies students graduate on. I designed the learning line; colleagues now build their own lessons on it.
40+ internships supervised; member of the assessment and programme committees.
Student projects with VPRO, Topnotch, Bieb in Bloei, OBA and the City of Amsterdam. Organised and led sessions on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Berr, 2024–now

Trainings and workshops on design thinking, AI and inclusion, also as a trainer for Fawaka.
Groups of about 20 people, around three sessions a month.
For schools and education professionals across Amsterdam: primary schools, MBO colleges such as ROC van Amsterdam, and the teams that run them.
Workshops at a three-day DUO event with ~5,000 attendees.
Clients include Brede School Rembrandt, Blokkenhut, 7e Montessorischool, STAIJ, Jenaplanschool ’t Startnest, NiNsee and ROC van Amsterdam.

(Education)
Degrees and qualifications

Always learning, mostly at the HvA.

Education
Degree	School	Year
MSc Economic Transformation (opent in nieuw tabblad)	HvA · cum laude (8.3) · valedictorian	2024–25
University teaching qualification (BDB)	HvA · also BKE, assessor, didactic coaching	2023
BA Communication & Multimedia Design (opent in nieuw tabblad)	HvA · minor Managing Creativity & Innovation	2017–21