{"id":1270,"date":"2024-09-19T22:08:48","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T22:08:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mdgpe.fba.up.pt\/?p=1270"},"modified":"2026-02-04T18:18:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T18:18:58","slug":"2024-welcome-note","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mdgpe.fba.up.pt\/?p=1270","title":{"rendered":"2024 Welcome Note"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On behalf of the Scientific Committee (SC) of the Master’s Degree in Graphic Design and Editorial Projects (MDGPE), I would like to welcome you \u2014 by first thanking and congratulating all of you \u2014 for your integration into the community of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto (FBAUP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Results of the Admissions<\/strong>
You are among the 36 who stood out among the 100 candidates in the 2024 three admission phases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Provenience from the 2024-25 edition candidates <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The origins of the 32 students enrolled in the MDGPE in 2024 are \u2014 as has been tradition \u2014 varied. Mostly female (85%), a trend that is becoming normal, and 75% national (27), with 25% of Brazilian origin (6) and 5% of other nationalities (eg. Colombia, Italy, and Turkey) who applied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We usually have more homogeneous master’s classes, from partner schools such as ESAD in Matosinhos<\/a> and DeCA at the University of Aveiro<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it is with great joy and interest that we once again have a truly heterogeneous group of students from international universities such as Centro Universit\u00e1rio de Bras\u00edlia, Izmir University, Los Libertadores Fundaci\u00f3n Universitaria, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, Centro Universit\u00e1rio de Maring\u00e1, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(National) geographic diversity of the origins of this year’s edition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But what surprises and interests us the most is the varied origin of Design, Graphic and Communication schools such as ESAD in Matosinhos and ESAD.CR of Caldas<\/a>, the University of Aveiro, the University of Madeira<\/a>, FBAUL, a sister school of the University of Lisbon<\/a>, ESAP<\/a>, IPCA<\/a> in Barcelos, ESMAD in P\u00f3voa<\/a> and a special note for the vote of confidence of our LDC students from FBAUP, and the students of Visual Arts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A very heterogeneous mix of 1st year students during the final “meet-up” at the welcome session<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We are seeing a rise in the applications of Multimedia and Audiovisual students from Schools and Colleges such as the Escola Superior de Comunica\u00e7\u00e3o Social<\/a>, FCTUC<\/a>, FLUP<\/a>, and Polit\u00e9cnico de Viseu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the one hand, this seems to reveal the diversified and currently fragmented Design education ecosystem in Portugal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, this reveals that we are in a very interesting position to have a range of skills, interests, and knowledge sharing that is varied and very comprehensive within the 2024-25 group of students. We sincerely hope that this diverse and skill-rich group will benefit from the collaboration and support of one another. We will be here to try to level out any asymmetries of skills in your basic training (Typography, Editorial, Branding, Illustration, etc.). But we want you to return this investment by sharing and promoting your specific skills in art, audiovisual, and computing with the rest of the group of students, thus leveraging everyone’s learning experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2024-25 academic path ahead of you<\/strong>
You are now beginning a new stage in your personal and academic life. We hope that you enjoy all the aspects that academic life in Porto has to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FBAUP, where the old and new merge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As you saw on Monday in the speech by the director and department directors, FBAUP is made up of approximately 2,000 students, with the design department offering 5 degree-granting courses and continuing to expand its offerings to areas such as Industrial and Product Design, Illustration, and, very soon, Interaction Design and Computational Media. The MDGPE and the rest of the academic ecosystem operate and take advantage of the facilities we have just had the opportunity to visit. But it doesn’t stop there \u2014 there are also Boa Nova and Coronel Pacheco (UPTEC Baixa and PINC), and the Asprela campus (UPTEC) where regular activities are held, especially in postgraduate courses and, who knows, the future of some of you, the PhD in Design<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Details of some of the past alumni’s<\/em> analog and digital works <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Master’s Degree in Graphic Design and Editorial Projects (MDGPE) is a postgraduate program at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto. It focuses on the research, development, and design of communication and editorial artifacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A program specialized in specific areas of Communication Design, such as Graphic Design in its institutional identity and communication aspect, Art Direction, Advanced Typography of and for books, Infographics and Data Visualization, Type Design, and production of digital Typographic Fonts and Illustrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are the main areas, but we are not limited to these only, in which we expect you to apply the acquired skills in a final printed or digital research and development project. Of an analog or digital nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is perhaps one of the first and main challenges that we face. The nature of the Graphic Design activity has been changing in recent decades. On the one hand, in recent years, large agencies have been decreasing in number and size, giving way to small collectives and individual studios that, thanks to computational power and the relocation of work \u2014 digital nomads and offshore production \u2014 have increased their production capacity. But this also increases the pressure on national activity. Portugal has become attractive to workers competing in an increasingly competitive activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, I would like to raise awareness of the current opportunities and challenges for designers. We are already tired of hearing that AI is revolutionizing processes. We would like to see how you incorporate AI services and agents into your creative processes to enhance \u2014 accelerating, increasing complexity, and expanding your range of production skills for example. And in turn how this merging of human creativity and Artificial Ingenuity will shape the aesthetics of communication in the coming years. But it must be used ethically and transparently, dealing with the issue of authorship, appropriation, and plagiarism in all its aspects. Being from your critical reasoning from the tools’ output, or your own realization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But remember that our society continues to face serious political and social problems. Last year, we mentioned Russia’s war on Ukrainian territory.<\/a> This year we have seen not the end of it, but the appearance of a few more global conflicts \u2014 the war in Israel, the imminent conflict in Iran, the growing territorial and economic tension between China and the territories it intends to unify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These global events force us to question our values \u200b\u200band actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, there seems to be a growing tendency for nations and cultures to have difficulty respecting and recognizing others \u2014 in terms of gender, culture, and, most seriously, religion \u2014 which forces us, voluntarily or involuntarily, to question the role and how designers should act and communicate. After all, this is a Master’s program designing identity and media experiences and artifacts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should be addressing these issues in the most urgent matter. Whether about the East or the global South. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slow down. Think before acting. Or the need for more friction<\/strong>
This recent (or maybe not so recent) rise of chaotic entropy between different cultures’ communication is largely due to the way we use digital communication and social networks to immediately or thoughtlessly amplify less constructive or less positive discourses and behaviors. Something that should benefit from the inclusion of a little more technological and communicational friction within the design of the tools. But also in the way we read, interpret, and disseminate ideas. Friction \u2014 meaning the introduction of some sort of “critical force to push back against the immediate drive or action” \u2014 may help to slow us down. Face others. Face other ideas. And contemplate the possibilities. This may be artificially introduced by the different [digital] tools and media platforms we use to consume media. And\/or it can also be designed in the communication artifacts themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Global and Local issues<\/strong>
Climate and climate change remain on the agenda. As do migrations and the social sustainability that this entails. The aging population and health and well-being continue to be a concern for all of us, to which we must pay special attention. How we respect and care for the elderly and the vulnerable says a lot about our culture and is a growing opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cultural Legacies<\/strong>
Also on this point, the challenge of preserving and promoting cultural legacies is on the list of European priorities and is a subject that you should pay special attention to in your academic and professional career. It is our duty and your role as designers and future teachers to have a hand in increasingly strategic reflection and action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cultural Heritage has been a topic on the rise in the last decade of research and development interests in the arts and Humanities. Make sure to check the European agenda to see the main\/future “hot areas” for R&D: https:\/\/rea.ec.europa.eu\/funding-and-grants\/horizon-europe-cluster-2-culture-creativity-and-inclusive-society\/european-cultural-heritage-and-cultural-and-creative-industries_en<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The structure of the course and teachers<\/strong>
The MDGPE has a standard structure, but its own, which you should familiarize yourself with from now on. Take a look at the syllabus<\/a> and the portfolio for an insight into what <\/a>is to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FBAUP’s Research Units: https:\/\/i2ads.up.pt\/<\/a> and https:\/\/idmais.org\/
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Make sure you get to know your MDGPE teachers, but most importantly all of the FBAUP teaching and technical staff. You will soon be developing your research project that may well be integrated within one of the FBAUP’s research unit’s ongoing research and development projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A few room views during the course and professors’ presentations of the course that took place at the PA101 room (Auditorium)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Teaching and Extracurricular Activities<\/strong>
Also during the two years, open classes are organized and held, such as the open-to-attend upcoming masterclasses of Maria Manuela Restivo (October 3), Rui Abreu (October 30), workshops, and training in a teaching context. Usually in EADET, DT, and Project<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Or in an extracurricular context. Which can be in specific areas complementary areas or areas of greater specialization of the UCs<\/p>\n\n\n\n