OpenFieldHDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design is the internationally acclaimed artistic faculty of the University of Gothenburg (Göteborgs universitet), situated in central Gothenburg, Sweden. Formed from the union of the historic Valand Academy of Fine Art (est. 1865) and the School of Design and Crafts (HDK, est. 1848), HDK-Valand is one of Europe's largest and most comprehensive environments for contemporary arts, design, craft, film, photography, and literary composition, leading the Nordic region in doctoral artistic research.
Review checked academic pathways and funding options below:
Prestigious institutional scholarship covering the entire tuition fee for high-ranking international students admitted to master's programs at HDK-Valand.
Fully funded four-year doctoral research position at the forefront of European artistic research, exploring practice-based design epistemologies, material activism, and critical craft theories.
Pioneering two-year MFA program training designers in play equipment, participatory children's public architecture, toy ethics, and inclusive social design based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Two-year master's degree exploring contemporary material discourse, craft philosophy, feminist and ecological materialities, and gallery installation.
Two-year studio-centred program fostering independent artistic inquiry across sculpture, painting, performance, moving image, installation, and critical public interventions.
Two-year funded research position at HDK-Valand investigating experimental curatorial practices, decolonial craft epistemologies, and sustainable material transitions.
Five-week intensive summer course investigating mycelium composites, kelp bioplastics, natural dye mordants, and circular studio practices in the Gothenburg archipelago.
Tuition is 0 SEK for Swedish, EU/EEA, and Swiss citizens. International student tuition ranges from 280,000 SEK to 345,000 SEK per academic year depending on specialized studio equipment usage. Admitted international students can apply for University of Gothenburg Axel Adler Scholarships covering 100% of tuition fees.
Distinguished researchers and laboratory heads at HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design (University of Gothenburg):
Head of HDK-Valand and Professor of Film and Artistic Research · Artistic Research Methodologies, Collaborative Moving Image, Pedagogy in Art Academies, Documentary Aesthetics
Professor of Design and Senior Researcher in Urban Spatial Practices · Urban Design Pedagogies, Public Space Democracy, Critical Heritage Studies, Architectural Epistemologies
Professor of Crafts and Textile Art · Contemporary Textile Art, Postcolonial Material Culture, Critical Craft Writing, Craft and Globalization
Facts reflect official HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design (University of Gothenburg) documentation reviewed 2026-10-15. Degree admissions, scholarship awards, and employment positions are subject to formal university review. OpenField does not charge students application fees.
Reviewed 2026-10-15 · Editorial standards · Report an issue