ISIA Roma Design
ISIA Roma Design, founded in 1973, is Italy's first public university institute of design, offering undergraduate and graduate design programs across campuses in Rome and Pordenone under the Ministry of University and Research.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersRome, Italy
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ISIA Roma Design does
ISIA Roma Design is Italy's first public university institute of design, founded in 1973 and operating under the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) as an Istituto universitario pubblico. The institution delivers five academic programs across two campuses: three-year undergraduate diplomas in Design (Rome) and Product Design (Pordenone), and two-year master's-level programs (Biennale) in Systemic Design for Communication, Product System Design, and Systemic Design for Services and Products. Programs lead to Diplomi Accademici di primo or secondo livello, the Italian higher-education-arts qualifications. Core pedagogy centers on a "systemic" design methodology — a project-oriented, relationship-driven approach to designing products, services, and communications — that has been recognized with two Compasso d'Oro ADI awards, 12 ADI Design Index mentions, 13 Premi Nazionali Arti, 3 A'Design Awards, and 2 German Design Awards, totaling over 170 accolades. Teaching is integrated with applied research through an R&D con le imprese program that pairs students and faculty with industrial partners on real product and service design problems, supplemented by Erasmus+ international exchanges.
The business model is public-sector education funding: ISEA income-based tuition regulated by MUR is combined with state allocations to finance operations. As a non-traded public entity, ISIA reports no revenue and has no venture or private-equity shareholders. Customer segments are two-fold: prospective students (undergraduate and graduate individuals) are the primary segment served through five academic programs, while a secondary segment of industry partners engages via project-based R&D collaborations (historical examples include SKYWALK/Patagonia, SPES Srl, Area Science Park, and Bonin Sas). Distribution is direct through campuses in Rome (headquarters at Piazza della Maddalena 53) and Pordenone (Via Prasecco 3a), with a formal admission process (prova orale) for triennale programs and published colloqui schedules for biennale admissions. Marketing and outreach rely on Open Days, the annual Roma Design Experience showcase, the Design Habilis didactic conference, Pordenone Design Week, and Erasmus+ mobility programming.
ISIA Roma Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ISIA Roma Design
- Legal name
- ISIA Roma Design
- Website
- https://isiaroma.it
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- ISIA Roma Design, founded in 1973, is Italy's first public university institute of design, offering undergraduate and graduate design programs across campuses in Rome and Pordenone under the Ministry of University and Research.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ISIA Roma Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Design Education
- NAICS
- Industrial Design Services (541420)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)
Keywords
Where ISIA Roma Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rome
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
ISIA Roma Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tuition and public university funding: As a public Italian university institute, ISIA Roma Design operates primarily through government funding and student tuition fees. The institution offers three-year undergraduate (Triennale) and two-year graduate (Biennale) programs in design disciplines.
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
ISIA Roma Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ISIA Roma Design is a public Italian university institute that delivers undergraduate (three-year Triennale) and graduate (two-year Biennale) academic programs in design disciplines, including product design, communication design, and service design. The institution operates two campuses (Rome and Pordenone) and supplements its educational offering with applied R&D collaborations and industry partnerships.
Product overview
ISIA Roma Design is Italy's first public university institute of design, established in 1973. The institution offers a comprehensive educational portfolio centered on five distinct academic programs: three-year undergraduate Design programs (in Rome and Pordenone), and three two-year master's programs (Product System Design, Systemic Design for Communication, and Systemic Design for Services and Products). The institute operates from two campuses (Rome and Pordenone) and has earned prestigious recognition including the Compasso d'Oro award, with a portfolio of over 170 design awards. The educational model emphasizes practical collaboration with industry partners and a unique pedagogical approach that has been awarded multiple times.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Design – Corso Triennale (Roma) Three-year undergraduate program in Design leading to a Diploma Accademico di primo livello, offered at the Rome campus. Targets prospective design students seeking foundational professional design education in Italy.
- Design del Prodotto (Pordenone) Three-year undergraduate program in Product Design offered at the Pordenone campus. Targets prospective students seeking specialized product design education in northern Italy.
- Design Sistemico per la Comunicazione – Corso Biennale (Roma) Two-year master's program in Systemic Design for Communication leading to a Diploma Accademico di secondo livello, offered at the Rome campus. Targets graduate students seeking advanced systemic communication design education.
- Product System Design – Corso Biennale (Pordenone, Roma) Two-year master's program exploring Industry 4.0 design, offered at both Pordenone and Rome campuses. Targets graduate students interested in advanced product system design.
- Design Sistemico per i Servizi e i Prodotti – Corso Biennale (Roma) Two-year master's program in Systemic Design for Services and Products, focusing on project-oriented design thinking. Offered at the Rome campus and targets graduate students seeking advanced systemic service and product design education.
Companies that use ISIA Roma Design
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ISIA Roma Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ISIA Roma Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Area Science ParkminorCollaboration through the ISIDE/Morfe' research program. The project was part of a series of studies for the integration of ergonomics and design with a sample of companies in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.
- Bonin SasminorPartner company for the Multico research project on multiconfigurable furniture systems for cruise ship stern areas.
- SPES SrlminorSPES Srl collaborated on the MoCaS Watch project - a wellness wristwatch for physiological parameter detection in geriatric subjects, where SPES's process electronics found new development and application.
- SKYWALK (Patagonia Brand)minorThe 1%P: dis-assemble shoe project was produced in 2007 by SKYWALK, a brand of Patagonia. The project was a disassembleable shoe design developed as a student thesis project.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ISIA Roma Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- POLI.design: Postgraduate design school founded by Politecnico di Milano, offering specialization masters and executive programs. Directly comparable in product and service design specialization curricula; represents a scaled, well-funded competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Central Saint Martins (UAL): Part of University of the Arts London, one of the world's leading art and design schools. Comparable graduate design education but at significantly larger scale and global brand recognition, attracting the same pool of elite international design students.
- Royal College of Art: UK postgraduate-only design institution with global brand recognition. Comparable at the master's program level (Design Systemic for Communication/Services and Products), serving overlapping student demographics at significantly larger scale.
Direct peers
- Domus Academy: Private Milan-based postgraduate design school offering master's programs in product, service, and interaction design. Comparable in curriculum scope and target audience (graduate design students), but operates as a private fee-paying institution versus ISIA's public model.
- Design Academy Eindhoven: Dutch public design university focused on product and conceptual design with strong industry partnerships. Comparable as a public, specialized design institution with award-winning pedagogy and similar program structure (bachelor + master).
- Politecnico di Milano — School of Design: Italy's flagship public design school offering undergraduate and graduate programs in product, interior, communication, and fashion design. Most direct domestic competitor to ISIA Roma Design with broader scale and stronger global ranking.
- NABA — Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti: Milan-based private academy offering undergraduate and graduate design degrees. Comparable target market and curriculum focus on product and communication design, but with a private commercial operating model.
- ECAL — École cantonale d'art de Lausanne: Swiss public design school offering product, media, and communication design programs. Comparable in size, public institutional status, and emphasis on industry-connected design research; competes for European design students and faculty.
- IED — Istituto Europeo di Design: One of Italy's largest private design schools with multiple campuses across Italy and abroad. Competes directly for design students, offers product and communication design programs, and represents the scaled private alternative to ISIA.
Regional players
- Bauhaus University Weimar: German public university with product design and media programs rooted in the Bauhaus tradition. Comparable as a public European design institution with systemic/holistic design philosophy, though focused on the German-speaking market rather than Italy.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ISIA Roma Design social profiles
Digital presenceISIA Roma Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ISIA Roma Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ISIA Roma Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ISIA Roma Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ISIA Roma Design
What does ISIA Roma Design do?
ISIA Roma Design is a public Italian university institute that delivers undergraduate (three-year Triennale) and graduate (two-year Biennale) academic programs in design disciplines, including product design, communication design, and service design. The institution operates two campuses (Rome and Pordenone) and supplements its educational offering with applied R&D collaborations and industry partnerships.
Is ISIA Roma Design a public or private company?
ISIA Roma Design is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was ISIA Roma Design founded?
ISIA Roma Design was founded in 1973.
Where is ISIA Roma Design based?
ISIA Roma Design is headquartered in Rome, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does ISIA Roma Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: tuition and public university funding.
Who are ISIA Roma Design's main competitors?
POLI.design is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Central Saint Martins (UAL) and Royal College of Art. Direct peers are Domus Academy, Design Academy Eindhoven, Politecnico di Milano — School of Design, NABA — Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, ECAL — École cantonale d'art de Lausanne and IED — Istituto Europeo di Design. Bauhaus University Weimar is listed as a regional player.
Does ISIA Roma Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for ISIA Roma Design.
What industry is ISIA Roma Design in?
ISIA Roma Design's product category is Design Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAJAB, Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior), with a secondary code of BPAHAKAM, Industrial/Product & Furniture Design. Its NAICS code is 541420 and its SIC code is 8700.