The documents that make up the history of education in Transylvania and in Arad reveal an admirable spirit of activism—sometimes with dramatic overtones—on the part of the Arad intellectuals in their efforts to establish a university in this region. The Preparandia (1812), the Theological Clerical Institute (1822), and the Music Conservatory (1833) anticipated the idea of higher education, while the academic projects of scholars such as Bishop Ghenadie Raț (in 1850), Ioan Popovici-Desseanu (in 1871), Vasile Goldiș (in 1906), Onisifor Ghibu (in 1915), Ion Montani (in 1924), and the Memorandums of September 18, 1940, January 11, 20, and 30, 1945, and August 19, 1947—authored by prominent figures from Arad—illustrate the unwavering belief of the intellectual elite, and beyond, that Arad, by virtue of its illustrious history, is rightfully entitled to become a university center.

And when it finally did have an Institute of Agriculture, with two faculties (the Faculty of Animal Science and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine), it lasted only nine years, its right to exist being abruptly cut short. In 1972, the Institute of Sub-Engineers was founded—a university-type institution which later evolved into today’s “Aurel Vlaicu” University.

The founding act of the “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad, under its initial name “Institute of Higher Education,” was based on Government Decision no. 567 of May 18, 1990.

The establishment of a Faculty of Design in Arad marked the fulfillment of a long-held aspiration, naturally supported both as a cultural project of the city and as a result of individual evolution.

The Faculty of Design was initially founded within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2008, through Government Decision no. 467 of June 24, 2008, and became an independent institution in 2010. The Faculty of Design of “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad began its activity in the former Greenhouse Palace in Grădiște, a building designed by Arad’s renowned architect Miloș Cristea. One of the university’s most beautiful buildings, it was renovated, rehabilitated, and arranged to host workshops and classrooms, providing students with an ideal space for their academic activities.

The city’s artistic level is positively influenced by the teaching staff of the Faculty of Design through the courses they offer and the numerous exhibitions, artistic events, fashion shows, and scientific manifestations they organize, which have enriched the cultural life and captured the attention of specialized media. Students, in turn, contribute to this cultural dynamism.

The mission of the Faculty of Design is to provide and develop the resources and tools necessary for conducting academic processes specific to education, scientific research, and artistic creation at high standards of quality—essential to ensuring competitiveness both nationally and within the European Higher Education and Research Area (as defined by the Bologna, Copenhagen, and Lisbon Declarations and promoted through the legislative framework of the National Strategy for Higher Education in Romania).

Within the Faculty of Design, both the design specialization and the profession of designer are considered competent fields, with the obligation to contribute to the advancement of quality of life—both individual and collective—which can lead to positive transformations in the economy, society, and culture, all while remaining mindful of the environment. Thus, the teaching activities are grounded in a carefully developed curriculum designed to meet national standards in the areas of product creation, environmental design and protection, and graphic design.

The Faculty of Design aims to train students for professional careers in industrial product design, environmental design, graphic design, and fashion design. The goal is to prepare them to anticipate and find solutions to the complex and ever-evolving demands of both the economic and social spheres. The training of specialists within the Faculty of Design ensures that students take on professional responsibilities and promote specialization across all fields in which design is needed and must fulfill its role, so that the student—once a trained design specialist—will not face the risk of unemployment.

The Faculty of Design operates at the location on Calea Zimandului no. 8, offering three undergraduate study programs with a total of 115 students and 14 teaching staff members.

The Faculty occupies a built area of 1,350 square meters out of a total of 2,841 square meters, organized as follows:

Color/Drawing Studio – 140 sqm

Model-Making Workshop – 100 sqm

Product Design Studio – 90 sqm

Environmental Design Studio – 90 sqm

Graphic Design and Media Design Studio – 1,120 sqm

Fashion Design Studio – 90 sqm

Computer Lab – 60 sqm

Classroom/Seminar Room – 55 sqm

Multipurpose Room – 55 sqm

The Faculty of Design places continuous emphasis on artistic and scientific research, which remains a constant concern for the teaching staff. Over the years, research efforts have materialized in events based on research and culminating in practical applications, showcased at the “Delta” Art Gallery, as well as in fashion shows hosted in the Cultural Palace—home to the County Museum and the State Philharmonic.

The didactic work is therefore dedicated to one of the Faculty’s core goals: to support the academic and personal development of students through formative-conceptual instruction and the cultivation of complex skills that bridge artistic and technical disciplines. The ultimate goal is the creation of objects that are simultaneously artistic, cultural, and technological products, designed for serial production.

From another perspective, the educational process within the Faculty of Design recognizes that formative training must generate awareness that design can promote not only the image of art and culture but also of industry—both nationally and internationally—contributing to export growth. The designed object is seen as capable of conveying rich, direct, specific, and illustrative information.

The three-year undergraduate program is based on the student's capacity for individual development and relies on their intellectual and practical engagement with ideas, environments, and socio-cultural contexts.

Theoretical and practical skills are integrated with historical and conceptual studies, contributing to the development of both creative and critical capacities and to the understanding of the evolution of design practice.

The areas of competence for which we train specialists ensure that our graduates are qualified for the following professional roles, in accordance with their qualifications and studied disciplines (as per Romania’s Occupation Classification - COR):

Product and Clothing Designers

Graphic and Multimedia Designers

Industrial Designer

Industrial Graphic Designer

Model Workshop Technician

Garment Pattern Maker

Fashion Designer

Researcher in Visual Arts – Industrial Design

Research Assistant in Visual Arts – Industrial Design

Researcher in Visual Arts – Textiles

Research Assistant in Visual Arts – Textiles

Graphic Designer

Web Page Designer

Product Designer

Environmental Designer

Illustrator

Fashion Accessories Designer

3D Design & Model-Making Specialist

Cultural Consultant

Art Director in private firms

Visual Artist

Specialization: ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

In recent decades, environmental design has taken on a fundamental role in defining the functional and cultural quality of the contemporary city. Any interior space—whether private or public (a museum, hospital, office, airport, train station), permanent or temporary—is a complex ensemble of elements that shape both the quality of private life and the relationships between individuals.

Proportions, furniture, technical control, the expressiveness of light, and color are elements an interior designer must be capable of managing and coordinating. Interior and exterior designers are qualified to use space, light, color, texture, and scale, along with the psychological aspects of shaping an environment. Designers working in retail spaces must understand consumer flow, lighting, display systems, and materials. In the service and leisure (entertainment) industries, creating atmosphere through color, texture, light, form, and space is essential.

Educational Objectives

The Environmental Design program provides knowledge of the tools and techniques used to represent various interior design projects, as well as the skills necessary for designing different environmental components. Special emphasis is placed on understanding functional space planning, controlling microclimate factors, and establishing criteria for selecting materials and interior intervention techniques.

Career Opportunities

Graduates are defined as design technicians with technical specialization in interior design and exhibition systems. These professionals can find employment in specialized design companies and firms.

Training in this field enables future designers to integrate their environmental design knowledge into the development of preliminary design concepts that are functionally and aesthetically appropriate, and which can be visualized using presentation materials, simulations, and detailed project plans.

Specialization: DESIGN

Individual study route: Product Design, Communication, and 3D Modeling

The range of objects a product (industrial) designer can be involved in varies greatly—from sunglasses to automobiles to CT scanners. Whether it's a consumer item, a tool, a vehicle, or a piece of furniture, design is what structures, organizes, and plans the functional and technical components. It develops formal and aesthetic characteristics while combining materials with technological solutions.

Training in product design equips designers with an understanding of form and three-dimensional space, color, and material texture, as well as the psychological and perceptual impact these elements can have on the consumer or end user. Product designers are also concerned with ergonomics and human interaction with form and function, ensuring that their ideas are manufacturable and cost-effective.

Product design becomes a way to understand how products serve society—products can only be successfully used once consumer needs align with the objectives and requirements of manufacturers.

Educational Objectives

Completing the product design program ensures solid, field-specific knowledge and trains students to be familiar with representing products in both form and function. Students gain a strong understanding of production techniques, digital imaging, and the visual language. The curriculum enables them to experiment with and develop products, as well as to solve problems encountered during product development.

This prepares graduates with the necessary skills to perform a variety of tasks related to product and system engineering—skills that are vital for mass production and market promotion.

Career Opportunities

The product design study program is tailored to meet growing industrial demand. Graduates of the three-year program are equipped to handle all aspects of product design integration with technology and production processes. Their ideal role in the design process is to serve as the link between concept and production, working within research departments, design companies, agencies, and professional firms.

Individual study route: Graphic Design, Communication, and Media Design

Specialization: GRAPHIC DESIGN

Individual Study Route: Graphic Design, Communication, and Media Design

The Graphic Design study program was launched in recognition of the fundamental role communication plays as an essential part of design. This role has been continuously evolving within the mass media and service systems, which continue to expand professionally. The information and communication system is now omnipresent, with its strongest advantage being its unique propagation method. As a result, graphic design has also continuously evolved, becoming indispensable to this industry.

Graphic designers specialize in the development of two-dimensional images and are trained to be highly sensitive to word, image, color, layout, and texture. They are attuned to the emotional impact created by symbols—how forms connect, how they harmonize with illustrations. They work across various media—from digital platforms like web design, to fashion, ceramics, and print. Graphic designers may specialize in packaging design or corporate identity, applying their skills in both television and print advertising.

Educational Objectives

The Graphic Design study program provides a strong foundational education, with project-based practical courses offering solid technical and methodological skills. The goal is to equip students with the competencies required to practically manage a communication project. The central objective is to offer a comprehensive approach to visual language and communication techniques.

Career Opportunities

In the communication field, graduates of the three-year Graphic Design program are considered project professionals capable of combining technical and methodological skills with creative sensitivity to produce communication products with high aesthetic and functional value. They are typically employed by companies and institutions focused on corporate communication, using both mass media and online platforms, as well as within communication and advertising agencies.

Specialization: FASHION – FASHION DESIGN

Fashion design is a complex and highly responsible activity within the value circuit of civilization through the product itself. It involves both stylistic research, silhouette correction, interdisciplinary design in product development, and the evaluation of design project outcomes.

First, research in the field of fashion design requires appropriate pedagogical talent and methodological support to foster creativity—creativity that stems from a deep understanding of culture and civilization, as well as from the translation of research into creative design.
Second, it is essential to deepen technical knowledge of fashion products, which includes understanding material components, product structure, and the relationship between concept and final product. This also means being able to visualize and verify the design through physical modeling and being familiar with technological and production workflows.
The third key element is understanding the broader product system: knowing all the processes related to product promotion through communication techniques, so that the product can successfully convey its cultural value and qualities to both society and consumers.

Educational Objectives

The fashion designer works on a project from both a stylistic and structural perspective. They conceive the garment as a three-dimensional space that interacts with the human body—a product characterized by its functionality while also integrating symbolic and cultural values into its design.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the "Fashion – Fashion Design" specialization are considered fashion design professionals. They are equipped to work at various stages of a research-based project, such as the creation and definition of a collection’s lines and trends, the technical development of products, and even product management. These specialists can also work in the visual communication of fashion products, using both traditional and digital design techniques.

Facultatea de Design

Oferta academică de studii universitare

Ciclul I: Programe de studii universitare de licenţă (Extras HG 376 din 18 mai 2016)

Ciclul II: Programe de studii universitare de master (Extras HG 402 din 2 iunie 2016)

Alumni

• Alumni Design