School
HEAD – Geneva University of Art & Design
Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève) was formed in 2006 from the merger of two art schools, the Ecole supérieure des beaux-arts and the Haute école d’arts appliqués, both over two hundred years old. Urban and international, it welcomes over 700 students from 40 different countries and offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in fine arts, cinema, spatial design, visual communication, fashion, jewellery and accessory design. Engaged in an ongoing dialogue with the art scene and the regional economic fabric, HEAD – Genève is constantly evolving and has already established itself as one of the foremost art and design schools in Europe.
HEAD – Genève offers a wide range of Bachelor’s degree courses and Master’s programmes. Workshops led by invited international designers, artists and filmmakers contribute to the dynamism of an educational space seen as an area of freedom and of individual and social responsibility. A range of aesthetic practices based on research and experimentation, combined with access to extensive traditional or innovative technical resources, are balanced by theoretical teaching that focuses both on knowledge acquisition and on multidimensional thinking.
Know-how and knowledge are the two cornerstones of our educational approach that rejects dogmatism in favour of a critical understanding of the contemporary world. Attuned to today’s cultural, social and professional environment, the teaching provided at HEAD – Genève fosters close dialogue between staff and students, seen as the real actors in their own creative journey. Students can express themselves during studio projects, classes, seminars and workshops and through commissioned work carried out in partnership with the public and private professional sectors in the fields of art, cinema and design.
Head of School
Jean-Pierre Greff is an art and design historian, professor and curator, born in 1957 in Lorraine, France. He is the author of numerous prefaces and studies on photography, art and literature (illustrated books, artists' books), art and communication, colour, art in post-war France and under the Occupation. After leading the Higher School of Decorative Arts of Strasbourg as a Director from 1993 to 2004, Jean-Pierre Greff has lead in 2007 the creation of HEAD – Genève, Geneva School of Art and Design, formed from the merger of two art schools, the Ecole supérieure des beaux-arts (that he ran since 2004) and the Haute école d’arts appliqués, both over two hundred years old. Jean-Pierre Greff was also the Founding President of the French National Association of Art School Directors in 1994, Vice President of ELIA (European League of the Institutes of the Arts, Amsterdam) from 1996 to 2000 and Chief Editor of the European Journal of Arts Education.
Courses overview
Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts
Bachelor of Arts in Cinema
Bachelor of Arts in Interior Architecture
Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication
Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design
Bachelor of Arts in Industrial and Product Design/ Jewelry, Watch and Accessory Design
Master of Arts in Visual Arts visuels (3 different majors)
Master of Arts in Cinema
Master of Arts in Design, major Space and Communication
Master of Arts in Media Design
Master of Arts in Fashion and Accessory Design, with a Watch Design specialization
Life in Geneva
The international city of Geneva features a dynamic cultural scene as well as many trendy places. Located at the western tip of Lake Geneva and split in two by the Rhône river, the city features loads of great swimming and partying spots at the water’s edge during the summer.
Studying at HEAD means living and working in an urban context, in an international city that has a fruitful relationship with many leading cultural institutions. Our buildings are situated in the city centre, equipped with workshops featuring the most efficient tools and technology. In 2018, half the students at HEAD will benefit from the new campus, which will soon welcome the whole school to its unusually high-quality environment.
Self-service cafeterias are at disposal in each building of the school. Electric bikes and scooters are at disposal for short trips between the school's different buildings.
Tuition and Scholarship Information
An information booklet in French and English is available at the Admissions office and online. More information on financial aid can be found here and tuition details here. HEAD – Genève and University of Geneva’s services, as well as other independent entities, assist students with any issues relating to health, employment and accommodation.
