University of Gothenburg
HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design
Student fotograferar ett spel.
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  2. HDK-Valand – Academy of Art and Design
  3. Design

Design

At HDK-Valand, design brings critical thinking and artistic practice together. You explore how products, services, experiences and systems shape everyday life and society, while developing your own interests and approach to design.

Study Design

Do you want to study design at HDK-Valand? Here you will find programmes and courses at different levels – from bachelor’s studies to master’s level and freestanding courses.

MFA Programme in Gothenburg
Child Culture Design
MFA Programme in Gothenburg
Design
BFA Programme in Steneby
Wood Oriented Furniture Design
MFA Programme in Gothenburg
Embedded Design
MFA Programme in Steneby
Wood Oriented Furniture Design
Teachers and other staff
Design Unit in Gothenburg
Teachers and other staff
Design and Crafts Unit in Steneby

Related content

Here we gather articles, films, news and in-depth material that offer more ways into design at HDK-Valand. Explore student work, collaborations, platforms and other ways to get to know our design environment.

From Embedded Design to Sustainable Transformation
For Camilla Uhlén, who graduated from the Master's Programme in Embedded Design at HDK-Valand in 2025, design is about more…
News – 26 May 2026
Darkness takes its place in sustainable urban development
How can we create safe urban environments without pushing aside the darkness that nature depends on? The University of…
Navigate to video: A Glimpse Into HDK-Valand – Art, Research and Collaboration
Video (02:41)
A Glimpse Into HDK-Valand – Art, Research and Collaboration
News – 29 June 2026
A Master’s Programme That Paved the Way to Doctoral Studies
Both Björn Eriksson and Yuxi Chen enrolled in HDK-Valand’s Master’s Programme in Design to explore questions of ethics and…
Research story/portrait
When AI does the work – what happens to our judgement?
When AI was used to help formulate both the questions and the answers in an interview about AI, the result seemed reasonable…
News – 3 October 2025
HDK-Valand recruits two Professors of Design
HDK-Valand, University of Gothenburg, is strengthening the field of design by recruiting two new professors: Johan Redström…
News – 1 June 2026
What if Gothenburg could feed itself?
Climate change, biodiversity loss and fragile global supply chains are raising urgent questions about the future of food…
HDK-Valand Graduation
See the work by graduating students

Students and alumni stories

What is it like to study design at HDK-Valand – and where can the education lead? Meet students and alumni who share their experiences, ways of working and paths after graduation.

From Embedded Design to Sustainable Transformation
For Camilla Uhlén, who graduated from the Master's Programme in Embedded Design at HDK-Valand in 2025, design is about more…
Radost has never doubted her choice - to design for children's play
Design that Shapes the Future
Elevating the Video Arcade with Top-shelf Game Consoles
HDK-Valand's design profile decisive for Agnes’ choice
Vanessa Fernandez’s Professional Role Was Formed in Steneby
Playhouse 2.0 – New Design Brings Students and Children Together
A challenge in creative problem solving for the students in Embedded design
The design education opened the door to Christopher's dream job

Research and doctoral studies

As a design student, you will meet research-based perspectives on how design connects with society, technology, business and everyday life – and how practice-based design research can open up new ways of understanding and shaping the world around us.

BUSINESS & DESIGN LAB
Global phenomena like climate change and the covid-19 pandemic are challenging the way we design for and organize our…
Research at HDK-Valand
Read about our research clusters, researchers and research environments.
Doctoral studies at HDK-Valand
Read about doctoral studies at HDK-Valand and how to apply.
The role of design in involuntary care
In the thesis Sketch and Talk: Drawing Lines Between Humans, the Interior, and Stuff (…), Franz James has developed a…
How Nostalgia Is Used to Shape the Image of the Suburb
In a new artistic doctoral thesis at HDK-Valand, University of Gothenburg, designer Maryam Fanni examines how 1950s…
Research story/portrait
Onkar Kular Makes Design Experts of Us All
Designprofessor öppnar universitetets dörrar mot samhället och skapar plats för kunskapsutbyte.
Scholarships for fee-paying students
A scholarship can help cover the costs of your studies at the University of Gothenburg. On these pages you will find…
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