Among its missions, ECAL leads activities of research and development (R&D) at various levels:

• design and experimentation of original and innovative artistic contents in the fields of visual communication, product design and visual arts
• project methodology
• history and theory of visual arts and applied arts.

OBJECTIVES

R&D activities aim at:

• deepening theoretical and practical knowledge in the disciplines taught at the ECAL
• widening the teaching, particularly at Master level, to new topics, artistic practices and techniques
• stimulating interdisciplinary experiences and practices
• developing collaborations and exchanges with academic, professional and institutional circles on a regional, national and international scale.

To achieve its goals, the R&D department of ECAL initiates and coordinates different kinds of research:

Theoretical research

It is a research that mainly concentrates on the theoretical aspects of art and design in the particular fields of history, aesthetics and methodology.

Research-project or Applied research

It is a research that consists in doing a creative project that satisfies an explicit and rigorous theoretical and methodological framework: question of research, working hypotheses and validation system of the results.

Research-creation

It is a research that supports a creative process in product design, visual communication or visual arts. It is a research that contributes to the culture of the discipline.

Finally ECAL encourages creative activities which, although not originally identified as R&D, can lead to original research problems in the fields of visual and applied arts.

R&D department maintains narrow links with regional and national bodies. He is a member of the Réseau de Compétences Design et Arts Visuels de la HES-SO (RCDAV), the Swiss Design Network (SDN) and the Swiss Art Research Network (SARN).

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT
Fornari Davide

PROJECT LEADER
Soldini Laurent

TEACHER RESEARCHERS
Balgiu Alexandru
Bellet Alain
Bergeron Luc
Bovier François
Brunner Thilo Alex
Guignard Christophe
Keller Patrick
Koivu Anniina
Margel Serge
Vacheron Joël
Walter Thibault

RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
Augay Maxime
Barbieri Chiara
Cachin Giliane
Guberan Christophe
Flückiger Cédric
Mager Simon
Mey Adeena
Niebling Carolien
Pollien Maud

FORMER COLLABORATORS 
Archer Luke
Ayer Julien
Baier Lionel
Berta Renato
Blanc Jean-François
Blin Camille
Chalas Charles
Dupraz Lucile
Egger Philippe
Fantys Pierre
Fischer Ulrich
Fronsacq Julien
Früh Roland
Garcia Tristan
Gemma Erol
Guillaume Fred
Guillaume Sam
Heinz André-Vladimir
Hochuli Andreas
Jacquier Vincent
Keshavjee David
Klein Sarah
Langton Lucien
Lavoyer Tristan
Lehni Jürg
Meldem Guy
Moisdon Stéphanie
Normand Vincent
Paradis Louise
Pittet Florian
Puckey Jonathan
Rappo François
Raymond Patrick
Rhis Tatiana
Scott de Martinville Augustin
Sigudarson Brynjar
Tavelli Julien
Udry Nicole