The scientific committee of the RCDAV consists of six members appointed for two years. 

Laura Brambilla HE-ARC Conservation-restauration
Davide Fornari ECAL
Federica Martini HEAD – Genève
Anthony Masure HEAD – Genève   
Jelena Martinovic EDHEA
Thibault Walter ECAL

In global terms, the RCDAV ensures complementarity between projects and consistency in their general strategy. It contributes to improving the research skills of its member schools. It supports projects that help consolidate research teams and develop the acquisition and transmission of new knowledge and skills in emerging fields. The RCDAV actively promotes collaboration between institutions, skills groups and researchers from universities, and favours cross-disciplinary projects. 

Finally, the RCDAV provides financial support for research. Indeed, on a regional level, researchers from member schools apply to the HES SO Fund, which is managed by the RCDAV. It finances research projects in design and visual arts and project proposals (enabling students to draft an SNF project).

The HEAD – Genève is interested in Ph.Ds placing a practice-based component at the core of the research. This means therefore that developed Ph.Ds must have an artistic or design component resulting in the production of artefacts that are then showcased and discussed inside the manuscript. Artefacts can take the form of installations, sculptures, videos, soundscapes, and others. 

Themes gravitate around socio-cultural issues that are inherently linked to the Anthropocene, technology and/or the built-space. Past or current PhD tackle, for example, themes connecting to decentralised networks, electronic-waste, digital labour, humanitarian design…This is just a non-extensive list. There is, however, here a clear distinction to keep in mind based on the type of Ph.D you plan to undertake.
1. If it is in collaboration with the EPFL and the EDAR, it must adhere to the research interest of the lab you are affiliated to. You can access all the labs under this link.
2. If it is under a SNSF framework, it needs to be coherent and validated by the principal investigator (PI) of the project.

Openings are accessible from this page: https://www.hesge.ch/head/emplois.
An example of a call for application can be found here (in french).

For equity reasons, only administrative questions will be answered. We thank you for your understanding.

In order to be eligible for a Ph.D in collaboration with the HEAD – Genève, a master in design, architecture, fine-arts or in a related discipline is needed. As it is a PhD in research through design, you also need to provide a record track of activity as a practitioner.

You will have access to the network of “pools” the HEAD – Genève provides. Pools are studio spaces with equipment, expertise and resources you can benefit from in order to produce your projects. We also support the production and dissemination of the research produced at the HEAD – Genève. We can for example contribute to the refund of travel, accommodation and conference costs as well as other needs helping you towards the production of the doctorate. If you are working under the framework of a SNSF, this will be supported by the project. 

If you are working under a SNSF framework, 80% of your paid time can be dedicated to your Ph.D. If you are working under the EPFL and HEAD – Genève convention, 40% of your paid time can be dedicated.

The PhD is funded based on the grille salariale de l’état de Genève

The PhD forum is a pre-doctoral formation supporting emerging arts and design researchers who are interested in pursuing a practice-based doctorate and academic research.

In a study program of around 10 days per academic year, the PhD Forum will offer lectures and workshops on 1) the conception of Arts and Design PhD research projects; 2) the writing of State of the Art and Research Objects; 3) the writing of Research Questions; and 4) the selection and elaboration of Research Methods and Objectives.

Research Associates will be able to select an individual Mentor to work with from a pool of Faculty Mentors. Additional events, open to the larger PhD Forum community, will also be scheduled. The course of study is designed to work toward completion of a written PhD plan of 6-8 pages. At the end of the PhD Forum, a certificate of recognition will be awarded on successful completion

This varies upon the Ph.D scheme you will develop your PhD with. If you work as an assistant-e-x doctorant-e-x (80%), you will be asked to give pedagogical and technical support, help and assist professors and give workshops. In addition and in collaboration with the program leader of the department you will assist, you will be able to give a workshop. If you work under the framework of a SNF project, this will depend on the principal investigator (PI) and supervisor of yours. 

Research-creation is an approach that integrates both academic research and artistic or creative practice. It aims to generate new knowledge, ideas, or perspectives through creative and artistic processes while relying on rigorous academic research methods.

This will depend on the academic institution and university you are affiliated in. In general, you need to complete a certain number of credits by taking classes offered by the institution delivering your Ph.D. In the first year, you will be required to present, defend and pass a candidacy exam consisting in your PhD direction, questions, methods and objectives.
In addition, you can access a variety of classes and seminars made available across Switzerland under the CUSO initiative. 

Several funding partners exist in the context of the PhD program and research of the HEAD – Genève. In order to conduct fieldwork within a FNS PhD, the Doc.Mobility is a well-known one. For PhDs affiliated with EPFL, fieldwork can be conducted with leading house funding. In order to organise events, you can apply to institutions such as Germaine de Staël (with a French institution), Pro-Helvetia, Swiss Design-Network etc.