What CESINE does

CESINE Centro Universitario is a private Spanish higher-education institution headquartered in Santander, Cantabria, operating under Spain's Ley Orgánica de Universidades and recognized by the Gobierno de Cantabria. Founded in 1994 and part of the Groupe EDH network since 2019, it runs a dual-school structure comprising the Escuela de Negocios & Comunicación (Business & Communication) and the Escuela de Diseño & Creación (Design & Creation). It delivers official four-year undergraduate degrees (240 ECTS) in Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Digital Communication, and Business/Communication disciplines, alongside master's and postgraduate programs, Top-Up BA (Hons) completion programs, short-term summer courses, and Erasmus+ exchange pathways across 37 destinations in 14 countries. The institution reports approximately 600 enrolled students and 30+ nationalities on campus.

The institution generates revenue primarily through tuition fees (€7,050–€7,270 for four-year degree totals, including a €550 seat reservation deposit) plus master's, postgraduate, and Top-Up program fees, with scholarships covering up to 70% of tuition available on merit, talent, sporting, or income-based criteria. Its go-to-market combines direct on-campus enrollment (rolling admissions with online test, document review, motivational letter, and interview), regional education-fair participation, open days, social media and content marketing, radio/media outreach, and international recruitment via Erasmus+ and the EDH Group's 15-school, 35+-campus network. Supporting technology is a standard online campus (campuscesine.com) delivering digital course content, recorded classes, and learning materials, alongside Mac/PC labs, Wi-Fi, and library resources. Key performance signals include a 93% graduate labor-insertion rate, 90% internship coverage of published positions, 1,100+ company agreements, 15,500+ managed internships, and accreditations including QS Stars (5 for teaching/infrastructure) and TOP 3 ranking in PwC/Education First's i2N evaluation of 40 Spanish private universities.

Name

CESINE

Legal name

CESINE Centro Universitario

Website

https://cesine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CESINE Centro Universitario is a private Spanish higher-education institution in Santander offering official undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Business, Communication, and Design, serving ~600 students from 30+ nationalities with guaranteed internships and EDH Group international network access.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Santander

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Degree and Postgraduate Tuition: CESINE generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged for undergraduate degree programs (Grados), Top-Up degree programs, master's degrees, postgraduate programs, and summer courses. Fees vary by program: Interior Design 7,050€ total, Graphic Design 7,060€ total, Fashion Design 7,270€ total. Postgraduate programs charge per semester with Friday (17:00–22:00) and Saturday (09:00–14:00) schedules.
2. Scholarships and Financial Aid: CESINE offers scholarship programs (Excelencia Académica up to 20%, Talento Creativo up to 10%, Rendimiento Deportivo, Compromiso Social) that partially cover tuition fees, with income-based criteria for social commitment scholarships (family income thresholds of €40,000–€50,000). The institution also offers financing options to help students manage payments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CESINE Centro Universitario is a private higher education institution offering official undergraduate degrees (240 ECTS, 4 years) in Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Digital Communication, Business Management, Journalism, and Advertising/PR/Marketing. It also delivers postgraduate master's degrees, Top-Up BA (Hons) completion programs, summer courses, international exchange opportunities, and guaranteed internship placements supported by 1,100+ company partnerships.

Product overview

CESINE Centro Universitario is a dual-school higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate degrees, postgraduate programs, and professional development services. The institution operates through two core schools: the Business and Communication School and the Design and Creation School, each providing specialized degree programs. Supporting the academic offerings are the Campus Online learning platform, Top-Up degree programs for degree completion, international exchange and mobility services, guaranteed internship placements, and career services. The institution also organizes professional development events including the Cesine Design Market, Santander Design Runway, Design Week, and Employment Fair. Students can pursue summer courses and short-term programs. The product portfolio spans formal degree education (240 ECTS undergraduate degrees in Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Digital Communication, Business, and Communication programs), intensive Top-Up degree completion programs (1-year BA Hons), international exchange opportunities, and various professional events and student services, all designed to bridge academic learning with industry practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grado en Diseño Gráfico (Graphic Design Degree)

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% labor insertion rate for graduates
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Groupe EDH (École De Haussmann)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019CESINE has been part of the prestigious EDH group since 2019. The group has over 60 years of experience and a shared vision for education, providing opportunities for over 7,500 students across its network of schools and business partners in locations including New York, Shanghai, Algeria, and many more. The group has 15 schools across more than 35 campuses in France, Spain, USA, China, Netherlands, and Turkey. Recent expansion includes the addition of Artemis Academie in Amsterdam.
• London Metropolitan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESINE is affiliated with London Metropolitan University, one of the largest and most reputable universities in the UK. LMU issues certificates for 3 undergraduate degrees: Business Management and Administration, Journalism and Social Media, and Advertising, PR and Marketing. This partnership enables students to earn both a Spanish official degree and a UK BA (Hons) credential.
• Universidad Isabel I and UDIMAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance with Universidad Isabel I and UDIMA allows CESINE students to obtain an official Spanish undergraduate degree in Advertising, PR and Marketing or Business Management and Administration through a four-year credit transfer system that includes some online courses.
• Artpapelbook StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Artpapelbook Studio for an experimental fashion collection using paper as textile material. Designer Gema Nájera and CESINE Fashion Design students created 4 looks exclusively from papers normally used for book editions and covers, exploring paper's textures, volumes, and aesthetic qualities as a fashion material.
• Adarsa Mercedes-BenzcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdarsa Mercedes-Benz copresented the Santander Design Runway (the rebranded Cesine Fashion Show) and hosted the event at their Santander dealership. The partnership added an aspirational dimension to the fashion event, with Mercedes-Benz's global fashion association (Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid) lending credibility. Attendees could also view Mercedes-Benz's new electric SUV generation including the GLC electric and new GLB in electric and hybrid versions.
• Erasmus+ / SEPIEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESINE participates in the Erasmus+ program (ERASMUS CODE: ESANTAND-35) with 37 destinations across 14 countries. The SEPIE program facilitates inter-university mobility and promotes the Spanish University System within the European Erasmus+ framework.
• Artemis Academie (Amsterdam)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtemis Academie, based in Amsterdam, was recently added to the EDH group network, expanding CESINE's strategic destinations and opening new possibilities for integrated collaboration and mobility between member institutions.
• IFA ParísminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESINE alumni have presented their work at IFA París, demonstrating the international pathway available to graduates and the school's connection to the Paris fashion education ecosystem.
• EDH Group partner schools (EFAP, ICART, EFJ, Brassart, MOPA, CREAD, ESEC, 3W Academy, MADS, IFA, Crea Navarra, École Bleue, Gnomon)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESINE is affiliated with multiple international schools within the EDH group: EFAP, ICART, EFJ, Brassart, MOPA, CREAD, ESEC, 3W Academy, MADS, IFA Paris, Crea Navarra, École Bleue, and Gnomon. These partnerships enable student exchanges, shared programs, and cross-institutional collaboration.
• 1,100+ Companies (internship and employment agreements)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESINE has signed agreements with over 1,100 companies for student internships and employment. The institution has managed more than 15,500 student internship placements and approximately 2,500 job offers. Students can do internships in cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, London, Toronto, Boston, New York, and San Francisco.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ESNE (Escuela Universitaria de Diseño, Innovación y Tecnología): Madrid-based private university center specializing in design, technology, and innovation degrees. Direct peer because it competes in the same Spanish private design-education category and serves a similar student profile seeking creative-industry careers.
• BAU Barcelona School of Design: Barcelona-based private design school affiliated with the University of Vic. Direct peer offering official design degrees in similar disciplines (graphic, product, digital) with a comparable practical, industry-connected teaching approach.
• ELISAVA Barcelona School of Design and Engineering: Private university school of design and engineering in Barcelona, part of the Universitat de Vic. Direct peer offering design degrees with strong industry links, comparable in size and student profile to CESINE's Design & Creation school.
• IED (Istituto Europeo di Design): European private design school network with campuses across Spain, Italy, and other countries. Direct peer because it offers comparable undergraduate and postgraduate programs in graphic, fashion, and interior design targeting international fee-paying students.
• ESDESIGN Escuela Superior de Diseño de Barcelona: Barcelona-based private design school focused on digital, graphic, and product design. Direct peer because it targets a similar student segment with specialized creative-industry degrees and an applied teaching methodology.
• ISEM Fashion Business School: Spanish private fashion business school affiliated with the University of Navarra. Direct peer because it combines fashion-specific education with business/management training, overlapping with CESINE's Fashion Design and luxury brand management programs.
• ESERP Business School: Spanish private business school with multiple campuses offering undergraduate, master's, and executive programs. Direct peer for CESINE's Business & Communication school, targeting similar students seeking private business credentials.
• LCI Barcelona (LaSalle Campus Barcelona): Private design and business school in Barcelona affiliated with the Canadian LCI Education network. Direct peer in graphic design, fashion, and interior design programs with similar international student focus.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad Europea: Large Spanish private university with multiple campuses offering business, communication, and design programs. Broad incumbent peer — overlaps with CESINE's portfolio but at significantly greater scale and breadth across many disciplines.

Regional players

• IADE (Portugal): Portuguese private school of design and management under the IADEUniversidade Europeia group. Regional peer because it competes in a similar design/business category but in a different Iberian market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Canal_CESINE
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMoPfsYPw1GVLi6ch59mVOg
• Facebookes-es.facebook.com/Cesine.Centro.Universitario
• LinkedInes.linkedin.com/school/cesine-centro-universitario
• Instagraminstagram.com/cesine_universidad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 CESINE