University of Art and Design Lausanne ECAL

Mission Statement

• Transmit the skills and tools necessary to offer the best professional perspectives
• To promote transdisciplinarity at all levels
• Defend creative, independent and agile thinking
• Collaborate closely with internationally renowned companies and institutions
• Invite the best professionals (artists, designers, photographers, filmmakers, graphic designers, theorists, etc.) as a driving force for excellence and foresight
• To give our art school a societal role by providing all the keys to meeting the new challenges that will occupy future generations

International Role

ECAL has a strong commitment to exchange and diversity – conducive to nurturing creativity. This is expressed through its international faculty and experts, as well as the admission of students from all over the world. More than 40 nationalities are represented at ECAL.

In addition, the school is committed to academic mobility by encouraging students' experiences abroad. Reciprocally, the school welcomes exchange students from institutions all over the world. This development of transnational partnerships creates a stimulating and constructive learning environment for the professionals of tomorrow.

National Role

Two cooperation projects deserve special mention: The ECAL is developing a very active partnership with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), including design courses as part of the SHS programme, a joint research project, and a shared teaching and research pool on the theme of virtual mixed reality and its relationship with contemporary space: “Variable Environment/Interactive City & Crossovers”. The ECAL has developed a cooperative venture with the Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst Zurich (HGKZ) for the Bachelor’s degree and postgraduate studies. The two institutions also take shared responsibility for the HES part of the Master’s degree in film studies in Switzerland, which started at the beginning of the 2006-2007 academic year. A desire to organise jointly national and international events found concrete expression in an initial exhibition entitled “Centrocampo” as part of the International Furniture Exhibition of Milan in April 2005. RECENT OR CURRENT COLLABORATIONS (Schools) École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) École Polytechnique Fédérale de Zurich (ETHZ) Haute école d’art et de design, Genève Haute école d’arts appliqués Arc, La Chaux-de-Fonds Haute école de théâtre de Suisse romande (La Manufacture), Lausanne Haute école valaisanne, Sion et Sierre Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst, Zurich Universität Basel Universität Zürich Université de Lausanne, Faculté des Lettres RECENT OR CURRENT COLLABORATIONS (Companies) Allianz Risk, Zurich Calida SA, Sursee Cinémathèque suisse, Lausanne Comptoir Suisse, Lausanne Designers’ Saturday, Langenthal Eternit, Payerne Felco, Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane : KBA-Giori SA, Lausanne Montreux Jazz Festival Musée de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge Musée de design et d’arts appliqués contemporains (mudac), Lausanne Museum für Gestaltung, Zurich Musée Olympique, Lausanne Nestlé Nespresso SA Raymond Loewy Foundation Ringier Romandie, Magazine Edelweiss Ruckstuhl AG, Langenthal SIGG, Frauenfeld Swatch Group SA, Biel/Bienne Team by Wellis, Willisau Télévision Suisse Romande (TSR), Geneva Victorinox, Ibach

Main Focus

Oriented in BA, MA, design, art, cinema and research & development