CIFAD — Center for Research and Training and Arts and Design, is the Establishing Entity of ESAD — Escola Superior de Artes e Design. CIFAD was founded in 1989, by Carlos Marques, Eurico Lemos Pires (1927–2018), Jorge Afonso (1940–2015) and José Coelho do Santos (1943–1997) with the mission of creating a human School capable of anticipating the future of Design and the Arts. Based on the same values and principles, the current Executive Direction is committed to growing and maintaining the same direction.

The ESAD Board of Directors incorporates the vision of ESAD – Escola Superior de Artes e Design, in its academic, pedagogical, research and sociocultural dimensions.

The Accreditation and Quality Committee is an organizational body that ensures the implementation of ESAD's Quality Policy, ensuring the adequacy and application of the Internal Quality System in its different dimensions of intervention.

ESAD's Technical-Scientific Council is a collegial council that guarantees the smooth functioning of academic activities and proposes, monitors and evaluates the application of the institution's scientific policy.

The ESAD Pedagogical Council is a collegial council, made up of teachers and students, which guarantees the smooth functioning of the Institution's pedagogical activities and proposes and monitors the definition of its pedagogical policy.

ESAD's Administrative Services ensure the response to various dimensions of the Institution's academic and pedagogical activity, integrating Pedagogical Administration, Attendance and Admissions and Social Action services.

Pedagogical Administration

The Pedagogical Administration ensures the Institution's pedagogical activity by ensuring the coordination of the ESAD Board of Directors, teachers and students, including issues of timetables and assessments.

Attendance and Admissions

Attendance and Admissions ensures reception and ensures, guarantees and supports students in the regular administrative process of students and the process.

Social Action

Social Action supports students in the process of submitting Scholarships from the General Directorate of Higher Education and coordinates, with the Institution's legal department, situations of default and debt renegotiation.

The internationalization of the school dates back to its foundation. It involves the ERASMUS exchange, the mobility of students, teachers and technical staff, the dissemination of academic projects and the holding of Design events and publications. Currently, ESAD has partnerships and bilateral contracts with around 150 higher education institutions on five continents.

Spaces where students can experiment with different tools and techniques, design and develop educational and/or personal projects, always accompanied by experienced and committed technicians who not only guarantee safety in activities and operations, but also share their knowledge and skills.

The Student Ombudsman's mission is to promote and defend the rights and interests of students in the context of academic life, through independent, impartial and confidential action.

The Student Support Office seeks to meet the needs of ESAD's student community, focusing on the personal characteristics of each student and their inclusion in the school, defending their rights and interests, mediating possible difficulties in interaction, supporting the resolution of emerging problems and promoting mental health. It provides psychological support for students, helping them to develop coping strategies in the midst of various challenges or obstacles. At the same time, the career guidance service supports students looking to invest in further training, according to their interests, goals, identity and expectations, taking into consideration all the important factors when making decisions about their career path.

Throughout their academic career at ESAD, students are given the opportunity to build cross-cutting skills in order to prepare them for a critical and reflective approach to the job market. Strategies that differentiate the way students present themselves as professionals are implemented, taking into account the characteristics, backgrounds and experience of each student. At the end of each study path, students will receive one-to-one support which allows them to contact strategic companies with a view to entering the world of work. This experience can also take place beforehand, particularly during the second course of study (Master's), via projects undertaken for companies, local authorities or others. From a two-way perspective, the team dedicated to ESAD's employability strategy is in constant contact with those responsible for recruiting professionals in the arts and design.
 
As part of ESAD's strategy to ensure support for its community, a partnership was established between Matosinhos City Council and the Association for the Promotion of Research in Design and Art (esad—idea), thus creating the ESAD Design Cluster, located in the west wing of the iconic Matosinhos Market. This venue houses projects relevant to the Arts and Design, in order to promote and welcome innovative entrepreneurs and companies in the creative fields. The Design Cluster is a platform for emerging entrepreneurship in ESAD's academic environment. Through the incubation of innovative projects by students, alumni and teachers, the ESAD Design Cluster enables direct support for initiatives in the area of Design, supporting the creation of innovative, socially, environmentally and financially viable business models that will boost the innovative entrepreneurial culture of Matosinhos.

The aim of the Public Relations department is to build dialog between ESAD and all its partners. Guided by the institution's vision and culture of community. In close collaboration with the Communications department, the Public Relations department defines the strategy for engaging with the different audiences that approach ESAD. To achieve this, it sets up project or teaching partnerships with companies and institutions, while also ensuring a response to the specific learning and integration needs of students.

The Communication department is responsible for defining the communication strategy, implementing it and distributing news and events from ESAD and its departments. In a continuous partnership with the Public Relations department, Communications provides a voice for the many activities carried out by the School's members and partners, ensuring proximity between all those who make up the ESAD community.

The Human Resources department aims to work more closely with employees in their working relationship, striving to strike a balance between the expectations of the parties involved. To do this, it has created a set of tools and guiding documents designed to increase transparency and fairness, as well as providing training opportunities for personal and professional development.

The team responsible for the Accounting and Financial Service works to ensure a relationship of trust with suppliers and employees and/or service providers, establishing accounting procedures that guarantee compliance with contractual relationships and/or the provision of services, with the greatest possible transparency and precision.

Ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of ESAD, a dedicated team maintains the college's physical and digital facilities, guaranteeing the cleanliness, comfort and repair of its spaces, equipment and facilities. This team's involvement with the academic community makes it possible to respond to newly emerging needs with the utmost efficiency and understanding of reality.

ESAD — College of Art and Design
Av. Calouste Gulbenkian, 907
4460–268 Senhora da Hora
Matosinhos, Portugal