Unlikely Bridges, Unexpected Circumstances

Testimonies of a Doctoral Program in Design in Porto, Portugal, 2011-present

Authors

Downloads

DOI:

10.31182/cubic.2024.7.70

Keywords:

design research, doctoral studies, research during COVID-19, multi-disciplinarity, portuguese research

Abstract

This article expounds on the chronology of a PhD programme in design hosted by the University of Porto in cooperation with the University of Aveiro since 2011. Scientific, strategic, pedagogical and administrative occurrences and decisions are narrated and substantiated. Various challenges, as well as approaches for their resolution and/or mitigation, are presented. It is argued that an affective component is crucial to the success of the programme, made possible by the development of immersive research environments and working partnerships between student projects and external contexts (research centres, businesses, cultural agents, multidisciplinarity and internationalisation). A focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on course management and narratives is presented. It is argued that, in the post-pandemic era, the core challenges now reside in the maintenance of weak ties and affective components towards a stronger sense of community.

How to Cite

Alvelos, H. (2024). Unlikely Bridges, Unexpected Circumstances: Testimonies of a Doctoral Program in Design in Porto, Portugal, 2011-present. Cubic Journal, 7(7), 56–65. https://doi.org/10.31182/cubic.2024.7.70

Published

2024-12-31

Author Biography

Heitor Alvelos, Universidade do Porto

Heitor Alvelos is a design researcher, teacher and professional, as well as a sound and audiovisual artist. He obtained his Master’s degree in Visual Communication from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1992 and his PhD in Design from the Royal College of Art (London) in 2003. Heitor is currently Full Professor of Design at the University of Porto, where he served as Course Director of the PhD in Design from 2011 to 2024. He is a member of the Academia Europaea, Vice-President of the European Academy of Design since 2024, and former Chair of the Scientific Board for Humanities and Social Sciences at the Foundation for Science and Technology (Portugal) from 2016 to 2022. As a researcher, he coordinates the Unexpected Media Lab at the Institute for Research in Design, Media and Culture (ID+), a hub for projects such as Anti-amnesia (FCT/Compete2020) and An Infodemic of Disinformation (FCT Exploratory). Heitor curated the FuturePlaces Medialab for Citizenship, in association with the University of Texas at Austin, from 2008 to 2017.