Profile

The Academy of Fine Arts and Design is one of the biggest and oldest Slovak institutions offering university education in various study programmes focused on art. In more then six decades of its existence, the Academy has established itself as an institution with strong position among art schools in Central European region, and at the same time it is continually strengthening its position within the European Union. Despite the fact, that AFAD was confronted with numerous changes during its existence, including various ideological pressures, it has always remained committed to its progressive nature. Especially in last twenty years, it has maintained its position of prominent institution of higher education with focus on fine arts.

Mission of AFAD

The mission of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava is to enhance education in accredited study programmes,  strengthen creative and critical thinking, support independent artistic and scientific research and artistic creation, as well as to encourage  creative spirit of the human society adhering to humanistic values.

The mission of AFAD doesn´t only draw on social utility and public interest, but also on the belief, that just like the science helps to learn about structured nature of the world, the art can embrace this knowledge in its own way – throughout genesis, existence and mental wealth of a human being -  and to introduce it in the form of art performances and works of art.

The Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava is a public academy. Besides education at all three levels of university study (bachelor, master and doctoral levels) in study programmes Fine Arts, Design, Architecture, Restoration and at the doctoral level in study programme Theory and History of Art and Architecture, it also offers a whole range of other educational activities of additional education. AFAD is not structured into faculties, but directly into twelve Departments and a Division of Drawing. This organization structure enables the Academy to be a flexible and open educational institution and to create interdisciplinary educational environment.

The study at AFAD is structured in accordance with the Bologna declaration, whereas its organization and evidence is based on credit system, as provided by law. The implementation of the Bologna declaration has caused splitting the then 6-year master level study programme into two levels: 4-year bachelor and 2-year master study programme. A new level of study programme has been opened (Doctoral level), which had to be implemented from scratch, as there was no tradition of such level at art schools in this region.

Results in the essential areas of artistic and scientific-research activities of the Academy, as well as in academic project activities, determine its further development and are directly linked to its profiling, competencies and professional level in university education.

The basic strategic objective of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava is defined in the long-term plan for years 2012 – 2018. As stated in the document, the aim of AFAD is to improve and develop educational, artistic and reaserach activities, as well as to accomplish its cultural and humanizing mission. Further development of the Academy anticipates its complex readiness to answer new quality criteria of the educational process and increasing demands on the level of the outcomes of the artistic and research activities. Another requirement is the ability of the Academy to perceive variable conditions in social development, react to these changes, take into account results of these processes, critically evalute processes in social-cultural life and to adopt relevant attitudes.