Europe is known for many things, its art and architecture being the most prominent features. The various eras of the past and their respective aesthetics have left a deep mark on that continent. You will find some of the best tourist destinations there, and it is true, that most of us covet a secret wish of spending time there. Such a place of wholesome beauty and design couldn’t come to be without a continuous flow of great artists, architects, and visual designers. Art plays a major role in their lives. Therefore, it only makes sense that so many Europeans love to make a career in arts; be it graphic design, product design, fashion design, architecture, amazing typography design, web design industry, etc.
Even the term design was first associated with the applied arts in that very continent during the 20th century. Visual communications has now become the most widespread field of art in the world because it covers a huge range of subjects, such as, illustration, advertising, animation, web design, brand management, copywriting, information graphics, performing arts, and so on. The field of graphic design is considered a subset of visual communication. It uses symbols, words and images to communicate the message of an organization and reach the customer-base through all viable means such as publications, billboards, advertisements, websites, identity design, etc. Graphic design teaches us how to tell simple stories through fantastic visuals for your clients.
When I was in the process of finding design schools, I had multiple options and they were all really great. But for me, the best options were the graphic design institutes within the United States. Later, I found out how awesome some of the schools are around the world. Even in Asia, there are many countries where art and design are given prime importance in life. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed for some short-term courses overseas, be it in Asian or Europe. While doing research for an assignment, I came across these great European design schools that I am going to share with my readers today. Hope you find a high standard design institute soon or send us your suggestions for a good one. Check out the following:
Location: Helsinki, Finland
About: The school of Arts, Design and Architecture was established in 2012, as a merger between two different schools; i.e. the faculty of architecture in the Helsinki University of Technology and TaiK, the largest art university in all of Nordic countries. The new school provides excellent courses in media, design, art, architecture, and motion pictures. A combined approach between these disciplines of the school provides innovative and technology-driven ideas that put special emphasis on a user-centered approach, in the creation of human environment.
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
About: The Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID) is one of the best international hubs of creative minds. Their integrated structure provides a unique environment that consists of renowned education, a cutting edge research group, and an award-winning consultancy. The school was established in 2007 with a vision to create impact through the design of innovative products, services, and environments.
Location: Valence, France
About: La Poudrière imparts knowledge and training of art and design, exclusively to the animators and filmmakers. They offer comprehensive courses on all of the stages of film production as well as specialize in animation production. The students learn to work in a challenging environment and bring a project to completion either alone or in collaboration with a team. As visual graphics play a huge role in film-making, the school puts a great emphasis in providing experience in that skill.
Location: Köln, Germany
About: The Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM) is a high-level research institute for audio-visual media. The academy was founded in 1990, and since then, it has provided a unique educational concept in Germany that requires a merger between art, science and film within a single degree course. It’s been over a decade now that the school is offering PhD courses as well.
Location: Florence, Italy
About: FIDI is usually the first choice for any design-related degree. It is an international design school, situated in the heart of Florence. The school teaches Italian design with specialties such as, graphic design, interior design, furniture design, and architecture for students from around the world. All the master’s, bachelor’s, and diploma courses are conducted in the English language, with the use of dynamic teaching methods and interactive learning. They believe in combining modern technology with inventive traditions. The graphic design courses encompass the knowledge of tradition, theory, and the latest graphic software.
Also explore: 10 Sites to Help You Become an Expert in Website Development
Location: Nicosia, Cyprus
About: The European University Cyprus was first established in 1961 as a Cyprus College, but was granted university status in 2007. It is one of the 40 institutions in Europe that are awarded the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation system (ECTS) Label by the European Commission. The four-year Bachelor of Arts degree at this university develops the creative skills of its students in a wide range of professional skills and expertise in print media, interactive media, 3D design, motion graphics, and so on. They also learn the essential skills of project planning and time management and get prepared for the fast-evolving field of art.
Location: Nantes, France
About: L’École de design Nantes Atlantique is a private art institution that believes in the recognition of creative workers as true professionals, promotion of design as a strong economic asset, and design practice that tackles social, economic, and environmental issues in a responsible way. From master’s degree to vocational courses, they impart the philosophy of design being a trigger for innovation. Since 1998, the school is situated in the northeastern area of Nantes, and being the only design institution in Western France, it holds a unique regional position.
Image Source: iStock/Eivaisla
Location: Vizcaya, Spain
About: In the world of fashion design, graphic design, and multimedia design, you will find countless individuals who have been trained and taught at the Spanish Inedi design school. The school was established in 1986 as a commitment to produce diligent creatives in all fields of design. Their design courses inculcate a sense of independence, discipline, and determination in the students who come here from over the world.
Location: Milano, Italy
About: IED offers professional degrees in four disciplines, which are Fashion, Visual Communication, Design, and Management. The design school consists of seven campuses in Italy, two in Spain, and one in Brazil. It is an international network of advanced training in the fields of design and offers three-year post-graduate courses, as well as Master courses, and specialization courses in several languages, such as, English, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.
Location: Barcelona, Spain
About: Affiliated with Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), ELISAVA is there to impart knowledge, research, development, and innovation in all the fields associated with design, communication, and engineering. This school prepares students to meet professional challenges at a global level, strive to bridge the gap between design and the business sector, and also contributes in transforming the human environment by combining the three said faculties of design, engineering, and communications. The Domus Magazine ranked it among the best design and architecture schools of Europe in 2013.
Blog Update: 17 April 2015
Location: London, UK
About: Central Saint Martinis is a reputable institute imparting innovative and quality education in art and design. The college covers nine major programs, including fashion, textile and jewelry design, and graphic communication design. In addition to curricular activities, the Saint Martinis also promotes a broad range of art festivals, workshops, and exchange of ideas across various disciplines which caught attention universally, and the institute was voted the world’s best higher education building in 2012.
Location: Renens, Switzerland
About: École Cantonale D’art De Lausanne is home to a unique multicultural environment where students from all over the world come to be a part of contemporary art and visual design. ECAL is also hub to several internationally-renowned artists, designers, and speakers. This prestigious design institute also enjoys collaborations with other establishments from across 4 continents. Their focused studies include graphic design, fine arts, photography, and media and interaction design. If you want to be a part of various national and international design projects, then ECAL is the place for you.
Blog Update: 02 May 2017
Image Source: iStock/scyther5
Location: Australia
About: Established in 1910, Open Colleges is an online educational portal for students willing to hone their graphic design knowledge and skills. A combination of entry-level and diploma courses are offered and certified by the North Coast TAFE. The organization is affiliated with credible associations, universities and councils to provide a quality e-learning experience. Having served over 700, 000 Australians, they continue to provide flexible courses for budding professionals.
There’s something thrilling about watching a design contest unfold. You post a brief, and soon…
Just think about what you notice most about Amazon’s logo first for a moment. Is…
Take it from the data that speaks volumes! Approximately 76% of consumers evaluate the credibility…
When people think about UX design, they usually picture buttons, layouts, and colors. But if…
Once upon a time, the business card was a badge of honor. Crisp cardstock. Foil…
Banner design isn’t just about looking good — it’s about influencing action. The right CTA…
View Comments
Great suggestion! :)
We're looking for soon to be or recent graduates with degrees in Graphic Design who would like to complete a year long, paid internship here in the U.S. The position is with a well known marketing and advertising firm and they need someone to start soon. Must have attended school outside of the U.S. and speak English proficiently. We will support your J-1 visa and provide you with housing while you are living in the U.S. Interested candidates should complete a quick pre-application found here - http://www.upternglobal.com/start-the-process.html
Thank you and we look forward to making your internship abroad simple!
How good is IED Milano for Graphic Design? Planning to study a semester abroad. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Admire innovative designs of Europe only problem were losing talent. To USA and Asia how can we
retain them, not impossible problem getting start up. Funding USA" master of developments acquisition of future art and technology least article. Shows non-Anglo universities pressure to sell ideas to USA for profits going create monopolies. Problem Austria is retaining lead in graphic designs great article.
The are both low quality for Graphic, no labs and no relationships with companies. the best is IED Florence, Master in graphic Design they work with Adidas, Bmw and lot of companies
Updated :)