The Computer Arts and Creative Media research group is located at Universidade Aberta in Portugal. The group aims to research computer arts, media technologies, and innovative user experiences. It has 34 full members and 97 collaborating members. The group develops prototypes and deploys digital artifacts to study their application in artistic, cultural, educational, and entertainment contexts. It also offers doctoral and masters programs related to digital media arts and graphic/audiovisual expression.

1. Digital Media Arts in Open
and Distance Education
Universidade Aberta, Portugal
José Bidarra

2. Who are we?
 Research Center on Arts and Communication
(CIAC - University of Algarve)
 Research Group: Computer Arts and Creative
Media is a unit of CIAC located at Universidade
Aberta (the Portuguese Open university)
 This group started its activities on March 2014
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

3. Human Resources
 CIAC Coordinator: Mirian Tavares (UAlg)
 Group Coordinator: Adérito Marcos (UAb)
 34 integrated members;
 97 collaborating members;
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

4. General Objectives
 This research group aims at researching both
computer arts and media technologies together
with the design of user experiences as a way to
develop innovative artistic, intercultural and
social end-user scenarios;
 This research group seeks to extend and
comprehend the boundaries of arts, technology,
culture, entertainment and education.
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

5. Specific Objectives
 To produce world-class research and artistic experimental
results in order to become an international reference in
the areas addressed by our research programs;
 To consolidate the role of multi-disciplinary research as a
key driver for our own work, and especially for the
structuring of our collaboration networks;
 To collaborate with other players in academia, industry
and society to create sustainable, long-term
infrastructures from which new communities of practice
and open innovation may emerge, possibly within the
framework of living labs.
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

6. Specific Objectives
 To establish international links by integrating long-term
international research initiatives, participating in
training networks, and in the organization of events;
 To consolidate and internationalize our advanced
study activities, both at MSc and PhD level, in order to
sustain our own need for high-quality researchers and
contribute towards the availability of professionals with
competences in this area;
 To establish a word-class repository of digital
media/storytelling/game artefacts which may be
exploited as valued assets for different applications.
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

7. Research Activities
 Prototype new computer-based artistic concepts
that explore novel technological approaches and
enable new experiencing opportunities.
 Deploy new computer-based/digital artifacts in real
world artistic, cultural, entertaining and educational
situations to gain a more thorough understanding of
their application/experiencing contexts.
 Design, develop and study artistic, cultural,
educational, entertainment or daily life situations
that promote a space for reflection,
experimentation and exchange of ideas about the
role of technology and stimulate creative thinking.
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

8. Advanced Studies
 Doctorate and master programs:
 Doctorate in Digital Media-Arts (DMAD)
 Master in Graphic and Audiovisual Expression (MEGA)
 Aiming to explore expressiveness to its maximum
extent through computer graphics, digital sound
and music, computer vision, digital storytelling,
virtual reality, amongst other technologies.
 Ultimately leading to the exploration of techniques
of artistic expression in order to generate new
media applications, products, narratives, games
and aesthetic experiences in such areas as the
cultural industries, education, entertainment.
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

9. Blended Learning (PhD)
 A two year study plan for online instruction
(curricular units) and another year for thesis
writing;
 A very intensive one week residential programme
with workshops, classes, art installations, video
presentations and special events.
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

10. Residential Programme
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

11. Development of Artifacts
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019
Mário Dominguez

12. Development of Artifacts
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019 Teresa Barradas

13. Video Mapping
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019 Rudolfo Quintas

14. Digital games
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

15. Augmented Reality
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019
José Gomes & Cristina Gomes

16. Transmedia Storytelling
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

17. eBook Projects
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

18. Creative Commons
copyright licenses
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

19. International Events
 ARTECH 2012
 University of Algarve
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

20. International Events
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

21. Other Exhibitions
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

22. Book Publishing
 Desenvolver uma linha editorial
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

23. Cross media platform
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

24. CIAC online
 www.ciac.pt
 https://www.facebook.com/ciac.ualg?ref=hl
 www.crossmediaplatform.ciac.pt
 VIDEO
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019

25. Jose.bidarra@uab.pt
José Bidarra, Universidade Aberta, 2019