In 1989, a group of lecturers who had a new vision of design created a school to fulfill the needs of the growing industry and improve the existing educational system. Today, with nearly five thousand graduate students, ESAD is a reference in the field of arts and design, both in Portugal and around the world. Since its foundation, ESAD has bet on teaching quality, arguing that schools, in addition to awarding academic degrees, must be formative institutions in the full sense of the term. And also communicating platforms between civil society, industry, and the market.
The school’s program includes graduation degrees in Design and Art, Masters in Design, various Post Graduate courses, an open training program, numerous workshops, and summer laboratories. Scholarships are also awarded annually to applicants of graduate degrees and Masters in Design. ESAD encourages students to understand the role of design and the arts and to intervene in national and international contexts. It seeks to develop skills in creativity, innovation, criticism, and technology. Educating, valuing, and innovating are the three fundamental guidelines to ESAD.
Its 30 years of existence have been intense, marked by the wide range of awards and distinctions earned by the school across the years, both by students and lecturers at national and international events. Additionally, hundreds of seminars, conferences, workshops, exhibitions, and meetings have extended the training in an active and critical environment within the domain of design.
The school has a strong relationship with the outside world. Establish partnerships with institutions, companies, and local authorities. A focus on innovation, memory, and heritage, targeted research, creative industries, and labor market integration. ESAD IDEA is the research center of ESAD, which came to frame and consolidate this work.
The internationalization of the school goes back to its foundation. It passes through the ERASMUS exchange, for the mobility of students, teachers, and technical personnel, for the dissemination of academic projects, and the accomplishment of events and design publications. Currently, ESAD has bilateral partnerships and contracts with about 150 higher education institutions from five continents. The daily life of the school is intense, diverse, and productive. Classrooms, workshops, and studios are open to cross-cutting or specific activities and interdisciplinary or specialized tasks. It is intended that students can experiment, test, and produce in an assisted manner by teachers and technicians.
ESAD produces and disseminates knowledge. The most relevant projects, as well as the subjects of reflection and academic research, are continuously published in bibliographic editions, available in the online storefront. Each year, ESAD participates in national and international competitions. In the areas of communication design, interiors, fashion, product or in digital and multimedia arts and jewelry, students have become accustomed to receiving prestigious awards in competitions from companies such as AcrobActic, Art and Fashion Bilbao, Bienal Ibero-Americana de Design, Bloom/Portugal Fashion, Bombay Sapphire, Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Cevisama, Clat5/ Apdes, Clube Português de Artes e Ideias, Electrolux Design, etc.
