[4] Founded in Barcelona in 1961, ELISAVA was launched to create a new venue for teaching design, as part of the CIC's Cultural Institution Foundation.

[7] ELISAVA's postgraduate workshops got underway in 1990 with the aid of such outstanding designers as Francesco Binfarré, Achile Castiglioni, Isao Hosoe, Santiago Miranda, Jonathan de Pas and Denis Santachiara.

[11] Its original mission was: to promote education, knowledge, research, development, innovation and the use of new technologies in the fields of science, technology, business and the arts; to boost and consolidate the quality of the degree programmes and services offered; to increase the range of continuing education programmes and to enhance student job placement; to adapt the range of programmes and services to the needs of an ever-changing society and business world; to attain international outreach; to contribute to the social, cultural and economic progress of society; and to foster the personal development of the members of the ELISAVA community.

[13] ELISAVA's current modern campus was preceded by various locations due to its rising popularity and steady growth in the number of students and instructors.

To date, it has conducted projects and reached agreements with companies and institutions like 3M, Adobe Systems Incorporated, Apple Inc, BMW, Decathlon, Desigual, DuPont, Ericsson, Fabrica (Benetton), Generalitat de Catalunya, Grupo Agbar, Henkel, Hewlett-Packard, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Iguzzini, IKEA, LABCO, ICFO, La Caixa, Lego, Mango, Philips, Roca Sanitarios, Sony,[18] Vueling Airlines[17] Fundació Vila Casas, Happy Pills and Smart Design.

It conducts projects in the fields of visual communication, product design and engineering, mobility and transports, retail space, new materials, sustainability and healthcare.

It is a non-profit organisation resulting from the commitment and effort of a group of students and alumni who wished to disseminate and promote the identity and values of the individuals who make up the ELISAVA community.

[32] ELISAVA regularly welcomes international lecturers and leading professionals from different fields, such as Zaha Hadid, Philippe Starck,[33] Andrea Branzi, Ronan Bouroullec, Xavier Mariscal, or Lidewij Edelkoort.