The school
C.A.D. is a private college based in Brussels. Founded in 1961, C.A.D. is the only college in Belgium and in France to provide an English/American-style education in the fields of design, advertising, web design, digital creation, graphics and interior architecture.
All courses are taught by active and eminent professionals. C.A.D.’s main objective is to help students develop their creative potential and, ultimately, express themselves. C.A.D. is attended by 160 students and employs as many as 55 teachers.
What sets C.A.D. apart?
C.A.D. differs from “traditional” colleges in many ways:
- From the very beginning, students are treated as young professionals;
- As in British and American schools, courses at C.A.D. are largely practice-based. There are few theoretical lectures;
- C.A.D. is a small-scale learning community that enables students to be valued as individuals. The small class sizes ensure personalised attention for each student;
- All teachers are eminent professionals with active careers of their own;
- Throughout their courses, students undertake work placements in advertising and web design companies as well as in architecture, interior architecture and design consultancies;
- A private school, C.A.D. is free from administrative inertia. Courses are updated throughout the year and various activities and seminars are introduced to keep up with the changing realities of the professional world;
- Thanks to the school’s practice-based, personalized approach, students are constantly encouraged to project themselves into their future lives, meet top professionals and demonstrate their abilities. Almost all of them find work upon leaving the school;
- C.A.D. is known among professionals for the talent of its graduates;
- Last but not least, C.A.D.’s directors are determined to make their school one of the best in Europe.
An open-minded approach
Open-mindedness, culture and human interchange are key values at C.A.D.
That is why the school runs frequent seminars, conferences, visits to exhibitions and museums in Belgium and abroad. Each year, a study trip is organized during the Easter break.
Students also have access to a regularly updated specialist library (books and periodicals).
Student exchanges
Always keen to embrace different cultures and ways of working, C.A.D. regularly holds exchanges with students from similar schools in Europe – the Escola d’Art in Alcoi (Alicante), and the Ecole Presqu’île in Lyons.
As part of these exchanges, students from various disciplines work together on the same projects.
Work placements
Work placements at C.A.D. are paramount and form an integral part of the courses.As well as offering students a glimpse into their future professional lives, these successive internships help them to gradually narrow down the field and type of company that will suit them best.
These internships must follow strict rules to enable students to move up to the next year or obtain their degree.
Many students in their final year choose to spend at least part of their six-month internship abroad as part of the Erasmus program.