What Designskolen Kolding does

Designskolen Kolding is a Danish publicly funded design school located in Kolding, Denmark, operating under the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science. Founded in 1967, it offers a three-and-a-half-year Bachelor programme with five specialisations (Accessory Design, Fashion Design, Industrial Design, Communication Design, and Textile Design), a two-year Master's programme organised into three thematic tracks (Design for People, Design for Planet, and Design for Play), and a joint PhD programme with Aarhus School of Architecture. The institution is anchored in three dedicated research laboratories — LAB for Sustainability and Design, LAB for Social Design, and LAB for Play Design — and operates from a single campus at Ågade 10 in Kolding that houses studios, workshops, a library, canteen, and administrative offices. The school also runs continuing-education offerings, including a Diploma Programme in Strategic Design and Leadership, workshops, and short courses for working professionals and high-school teachers.

The school's core technology is design pedagogy rather than software: a curriculum grounded in experimental problem-solving, sustainability, social design, and play-based design methodologies. Internationalisation is structural rather than incidental — partnerships with Erasmus+ (covering 34 countries), the Cirrus/Nordplus network (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), and bilateral agreements enable student and staff exchange, with monthly stipends of 300–400 EUR for outbound Danish students. Industry ties include LEGO Group (reflected in board leadership, where the Chair is Head of Design at LEGO) and the Danish Parkinson's Association for inclusive design student projects.

Revenue mechanics are dominated by Danish state subsidies covering educational operations, research, and facilities. Supplementary streams include tuition from non-EU international students under individual guest arrangements (EUR 7,000 per semester, paid upon admission confirmation), fee-exempt exchange students routed through Erasmus+/Nordplus/bilateral agreements, and fees for the Strategic Design and Leadership diploma and other continuing-education courses. Student recruitment is event-driven and community-led: open-house events, daily virtual tours, Gymnasiesamarbejde (high-school collaboration) workshops, and visibility moments such as graduation exhibitions and Copenhagen Fashion Week participation.

Name

Designskolen Kolding

Legal name

Designskolen Kolding

Website

https://designskolenkolding.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Designskolen Kolding is a Danish publicly funded design school offering Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD programmes across five specialisations and three thematic tracks, supported by three research LABs in Sustainability, Social Design, and Play Design.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Design Higher Education

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)

Keywords

• Design higher education
• Undergraduate design programmes
• Graduate design research
• Professional design diplomas
• International student exchange

Headquarters

HQ city

Kolding

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition - International Students: Non-EU international students pay tuition fees of 7,000 Euro per semester under individual guest arrangements. Exchange students through Erasmus+, Nordplus, or bilateral agreements are exempt from tuition at the host institution.
2. Government Funding: Publicly funded higher education institution receiving government subsidies for educational operations, research activities, and facility maintenance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Designskolen Kolding is a Danish publicly funded design school that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral design education through a 3.5-year Bachelor Programme with five specializations, a 2-year Master's Programme with three thematic tracks, and a joint PhD programme with Aarhus School of Architecture. It supports these degree programs with three dedicated research laboratories (Sustainability, Social Design, Play Design), industry-linked projects, and international student exchange through Erasmus+, Nordplus, and bilateral agreements. The institution also offers continuing education and a Diploma Programme in Strategic Design and Leadership for working professionals.

Product overview

Designskolen Kolding (Kolding School of Design) is a Danish design education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of design programmes and research activities. The core educational offerings consist of a Bachelor Programme with five design specialisations (Accessory Design, Fashion Design, Textile Design, Industrial Design, Communication Design), a Master's Programme with three thematic tracks (Design for People, Design for Planet, Design for Play), and a joint PhD Programme with Aarhus School of Architecture. Supporting the educational mission, the school operates three research laboratories: the LAB for Sustainability and Design, the LAB for Social Design, and the LAB for Play Design (celebrating ten years in 2026). The institution also provides continuing education through short courses, workshops, and a Diploma Programme in Strategic Design and Leadership. International collaboration is facilitated through Erasmus+, Nordplus, and bilateral exchange agreements, enabling student and staff mobility across European and Nordic institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LAB for Sustainability and Design: Research laboratory focused on sustainability and design practices
• LAB for Social Design
• LAB for Play Design

Products and services

• Bacheloruddannelsen (Bachelor Programme) Three-and-a-half-year undergraduate design programme with five specialisations: Accessory Design, Fashion Design, Textile Design, Industrial Design, and Communication Design. Focuses on creating design solutions that make a difference. For prospective students who have completed secondary education.
• Kandidatuddannelsen (Master's Programme) Two-year graduate programme with three thematic tracks: Design for People, Design for Planet, and Design for Play. Students develop advanced design competencies for complex societal challenges. For students with prior design education seeking advanced graduate study.
• Ph.d.-uddannelse (PhD Programme) Doctoral research programme conducted jointly with Aarhus School of Architecture. Focuses on advanced design research and academic scholarship. For doctoral candidates pursuing design research.
• Diplomuddannelse i strategisk design og ledelse (Diploma Programme in Strategic Design and Leadership) Professional diploma programme focused on strategic design thinking and leadership competencies for working professionals. For mid-career designers and creative professionals seeking leadership development.
• Efter- og videreuddannelse (Continuing Education) Postgraduate and professional development courses including workshops, a diploma programme in Strategic Design and Leadership, and continuing education for high school teachers. For working professionals and educators seeking design skill development.
• LAB for Bæredygtighed og Design (LAB for Sustainability and Design) Research laboratory focused on sustainability and design practices, conducting projects and disseminating knowledge about sustainable design methodologies. For researchers, students, and industry partners engaged in sustainable design.
• LAB for Socialt Design (LAB for Social Design) Research laboratory dedicated to social design, exploring how design can address social challenges and contribute to positive societal change. For researchers, students, and community partners engaged in social design research.
• LAB for Play Design (LAB for Play Design) Research laboratory celebrating ten years of play as a design force. Explores how play and gamification principles can be applied to design for engagement, learning, and wellbeing. For researchers, students, and industry partners engaged in play-based design.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Cirrus Network (Nordplus)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNordic design and architecture school network enabling student and staff exchange among institutions in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Operates under the Nordplus program with travel stipend opportunities and Express Mobility for short course participation.
• Erasmus+ ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded exchange program enabling study and traineeship placements across 34 countries including EU members, candidates, and EFTA/EØS countries. Provides monthly stipends (300-400 EUR for study, 350-400 EUR for traineeship depending on destination country) for Danish students going abroad.
• Bilateral Partner InstitutionsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational institutions with formal bilateral agreements for student exchange. Students from these institutions can apply for exchange without tuition fees at Designskolen Kolding. List of partner institutions available in documentation.
• Parkinsonforeningen (Danish Parkinson's Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for student projects. Example: Graduate project 'Re-setting the Table' by Rosa Floris developed in collaboration with the association to explore inclusive design for people with Parkinson's.
• LEGO GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partnership reflected in board leadership - Nanna Ulrich Gudum serves as Chair of the Board while Head of Design at LEGO Group.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture: Finland's leading design, architecture, and art school embedded within a research university. Comparable in offering BA/MA/PhD design education and design research labs, but with a much larger scale, broader portfolio, and stronger research-university integration.
• Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts London): London-based constituent college of UAL offering design, fashion, and fine art programs from foundation through MA. Comparable as a design higher-education institution, though considerably larger and more globally prominent, with a broader and more commercially oriented program portfolio.
• Berlin University of the Arts (UdK Berlin): Large German public art and design university with broad BA/MA offerings across design, visual arts, and performing arts. Comparable in being a public European design higher-education institution with multiple specializations and research activity, though considerably broader in scope.

Direct peers

• Design Academy Eindhoven: Dutch university of applied sciences offering BA and MA programs in design with a strong conceptual and social-design orientation. Highly comparable as a European single-country design school emphasizing experimental, socially engaged design practice across multiple specializations.
• ECAL (École cantonale d'art de Lausanne): Swiss university of art and design offering BA and MA programs in Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Fashion, Photography, and Media. Comparable as a small-to-mid-sized European public design school with multiple design specializations and strong industry partnerships.
• Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design: Sweden's largest university of arts, crafts and design offering BA, MA, and doctoral programs across design disciplines including industrial, textile, and communication design. Comparable as a Nordic public design school with similar specialization structure and Erasmus+/Nordplus membership.
• Aarhus School of Architecture: Danish school of architecture that jointly runs the PhD programme with Designskolen Kolding. Direct Danish peer in the built-environment and design research space, and an explicit academic partner for doctoral education.
• Royal Danish Academy: Denmark's other principal design and architecture higher-education institution, headquartered in Copenhagen. It offers BA, MA, and PhD programs across design, architecture, and conservation — directly comparable as a Danish public design school with similar degree levels, government funding, and research orientation.
• Beckmans College of Design: Stockholm-based private design college offering BA programs in Visual Communication, Fashion, and Product Design. Highly comparable as a Nordic design school with similar specialization breadth and industry-aligned curriculum, though private rather than publicly funded.

Regional players

• Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO): Norway's leading arts and design university offering BA and MA programs in design, visual arts, and performing arts. Comparable as a Nordic public design school with Erasmus+/Nordplus participation, but based in a different country and focused more on arts-academy breadth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/designskolenkd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSOtV-lJEtzRSJt4l7QT4IQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/DesignskolenKolding
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/designskolen-kolding
• Instagraminstagram.com/designskolenkolding

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Designskolen Kolding