University of Porto’s School of Fine Arts’ Design Department has achieved many cultural breakthroughs during these last decades. It hosts excellent teachers and designers, including the first two Portuguese Design PhDs as well as several other sought-after Portuguese professionals.

The Department's work keeps branching out and ranges from 1st and 2nd cycle course management to cultural, social and technological projects. From research projects to online publishing and exhibits, from conferences to debates, it’s been rattling and rolling its way through design's graphic roads. A growing number of institutional, academic and corporate partnerships are constantly fine tuning the department's awareness of current professional design needs, shaping a community fuelled by the possibilities of an action lab.