École de design de l’UQAM

What École de design de l’UQAM does

École de design de l'UQAM is a public design school within the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), a constituent of the Université du Québec system governed by the Government of Quebec. Founded in 1974 as the Département de design and elevated to the École de design in 2000, the school delivers undergraduate and graduate design education to Quebec residents, out-of-province Canadians, and international students. It offers two bachelor's programs (Baccalauréat en design de l'environnement; Baccalauréat en design graphique et expériences visuelles), one master's program (Maîtrise en design de l'environnement), and three DESS graduate diplomas (Event Design; Interactive Experience Design; and additional specializations added between 2000-2003), supported by a faculty of approximately 28 professors plus 75+ course lecturers and located in the Design Pavilion (Pavillon de design) inaugurated in 1996 on the UQAM campus in Montreal.

The school's core technology infrastructure includes the Atelier multitechnique — a multitechnical workshop divided into five spaces covering metalwork, woodworking, digital fabrication (3D printing, laser cutting/engraving, CNC machining), publishing (éditique with Mac Pro stations, inkjet printers, animation desks, light tables, photo/video studio), and 24-hour student workspaces. Students access industry-standard software including Adobe Creative Cloud, Autodesk, Rhino, V-Ray, Enscape, and ArcGIS. Research operations are organized around a network of specialized labs: Cercle Diament (design and digital mental health, producing spinoff Mentallys and the Visuallys image bank), TAO (typographic experimentation), LabDI (immersive experiences and HCI), N360 (Nordic design and climate), Design+Proximité, NXI GESTATIO, CRIN (digital image research), Groupe 3D (ergonomics), and Centr'ERE. The school is also a primary contributor to Vocabulaire du design, the largest specialized French-language design dictionary.

Revenue is generated through three streams: Quebec Ministry of Higher Education public funding, student tuition fees structured by Quebec residency status under standardized provincial fee schedules, and research grants/contracts from federal (SSHRC, NSERC) and provincial (FRQSC) agencies. The school recruits through Quebec's centralized university admissions system (SRASR), the UQAM website, and on-campus open houses, and operates as a direct-to-consumer public education provider. There are no subsidiaries, no private equity or venture capital involvement, and no separately disclosed financials; control rests entirely with UQAM and the Government of Quebec. Notable alumni include founders of leading Canadian design agencies such as Sid Lee and LG2.

Name

École de design de l’UQAM

Legal name

École de design de l'UQAM

Website

https://design.uqam.ca

Company type

Public

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

École de design de l'UQAM is a public design school within UQAM (Montreal), founded 1974, offering bachelor's, master's, and DESS programs in environmental, graphic, event, and interactive experience design, supported by specialized fabrication workshops and a network of design research labs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Architectural Services (54131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Architecture Schools (within Arts & Design institutions) (EDAHAJAG)

Keywords

• Design education programs
• Graphic design degree
• Environmental design studies
• Interactive experience design
• University design research

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public university funding: As part of the Université du Québec à Montréal system, the school receives government funding from the Quebec Ministry of Higher Education. Tuition fees follow Quebec university fee structures for domestic students.
2. Student tuition: Students pay tuition fees per semester/credit based on residency status (Quebec residents vs. out-of-province/international students).
3. Research grants and contracts: Faculty members secure research funding from federal agencies (CRSH/SSHRC, CRSNG/NSERC), provincial funds (FRQSC), and institutional sources, contributing to research operations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

École de design de l'UQAM is a public university design school offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in environmental design, graphic design and visual experiences, event design, interactive experience design, and a master's in environmental design. The school supports these programs with specialized multitechnical workshops, digital fabrication facilities, research-creation laboratories, and the Centre de design gallery, operating within the Université du Québec à Montréal system under Quebec Ministry of Higher Education funding.

Product overview

École de design de l'UQAM is a university design school offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in design. Its portfolio includes two main bachelor's degrees (design de l'environnement and design graphique et expériences visuelles), two graduate specialization diplomas (DESS in event design and interactive experience design), and one master's program. The school operates specialized facilities including the Atelier multitechnique (multi-technique workshop with metal, wood, digital fabrication, and editique labs), research centers (Centre de design gallery, research laboratories like NXI GESTATIO, TAO, Design + Proximité, and Groupe 3D), and produces annual exhibitions. Notable research outputs include Mentallys (mental health digital solution), Visuallys (mental health image bank), and the Vocabulaire du design dictionary. The school also runs international programs like Packplay for packaging design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Baccalauréat en design de l'environnement Undergraduate bachelor's degree program focused on environmental design, covering architectural design, urban design, exhibition design, and landscape architecture. Designed for students seeking a professional university credential in spatial and environmental design disciplines.
• Baccalauréat en design graphique et expériences visuelles Undergraduate bachelor's degree program in graphic design and visual experiences, teaching visual communication, typography, illustration, and digital design. Designed for students pursuing a professional credential in graphic and visual communication design.
• DESS en design d'événements Graduate specialization diploma (DESS) in event design, covering exhibition design, event production, and spatial design for cultural and corporate events. Designed for working professionals and recent graduates seeking specialization in event design.
• DESS en design d'expériences interactives Graduate specialization diploma (DESS) in interactive experience design, focusing on interaction design, user experience, and emerging technologies. Designed for design professionals seeking advanced specialization in interactive and digital experience design.
• Maîtrise en design de l'environnement Master's degree program in environmental design, offering advanced research and creation in spatial design, urban environments, and architectural projects. Designed for students seeking research-oriented graduate training in environmental design.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 years of continuous operation producing design professionals
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cercle DiamentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch-innovation laboratory focused on design and digital mental health, led by Stéphane Vial. Has produced spinoff company Mentallys for mental health care access and Visuallys image bank.
• Laboratoire TAO (Typographie, Art, Ouvrage)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterdisciplinary typographic experimentation laboratory co-directed by Judith Poirier and Amandine Alessandra. Conducts research on typography, publishing, and hybrid media.
• Laboratoire de design et interaction (LabDI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign and interaction laboratory focused on immersive experiences and human-computer interaction research, directed by Ron Filion-Mallette.
• N360 (Nordic Design Laboratory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNordic design research laboratory focused on relationships between design, climate, and energy in northern environments, directed by Patrick Evans.
• Laboratoire Design+ProximitécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and creation laboratory focused on design of objects and environments of proximity, ecological issues, and social/economic changes, founded by Maurice Cloutier.
• CRIN (Centre de recherche des images numériques)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital image research center exploring computer-generated imagery experimentation and applications in print media, founded by Nelu Wolfensohn in 2000.
• Centre de design (UQAM Design Centre)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallery and exhibition space directed by Börkur Bergmann, presenting a wide range of exhibitions from architecture to graphic arts and fashion design.
• Musée des beaux-arts de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner27 posters by professor Nelu Wolfensohn held in the museum's permanent collection. Faculty member serves on acquisition committee.
• Comité d'acquisition d'arts décoratifs et de design du Musée des beaux-arts de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNelu Wolfensohn has served on this acquisition committee since 2001.
• ArtexteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAngela Grauerholz co-founded Artexte in 1980, a center for contemporary art information.
• Institut de design de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNelu Wolfensohn served on the board of directors from 1993-2007.
• Groupe 3D (Ergonomics research laboratory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded by Steve Vezeau in 1991, focused on user activity analysis for designing comfortable and safe products.
• Université du Québec à MontréalcoreOthersThe school is a constituent school of UQAM, part of the Université du Québec system.
• Faculté des arts (Faculty of Arts)coreOthersThe school belongs to the Faculty of Arts at UQAM.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• OCAD University: Canada's largest dedicated art and design university, located in Toronto. Directly comparable as another Canadian post-secondary institution specializing in design, fine arts, and digital media with undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Emily Carr University of Art + Design: Vancouver-based public university specializing in design, fine arts, and media. Directly comparable as a Canadian specialized design university with undergraduate-to-graduate offerings.
• Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) — School of Fashion & School of Creative Industries: Toronto-based public university with notable design programs (graphic communications, interior design, fashion). Comparable as another Canadian public university with broad design portfolio.
• Université Laval (École de design): Quebec university with a dedicated design school offering programs in industrial design, graphic design, and interior design. Direct peer operating in the same Quebec higher education market.
• Concordia University (Faculty of Arts and Science — Design programs): Montreal-based university offering design programs (Studio Arts, Computation Arts, Industrial Design) within a larger institution. Directly comparable as a Montreal peer with overlapping design program offerings.
• Université de Montréal (Faculté de l'aménagement): Montreal university offering design and architecture-related programs including environmental design, urban planning, and landscape architecture. Direct peer with overlapping environmental/architectural design curriculum.
• NSCAD University (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design): Canadian post-secondary institution focused on art and design education. Directly comparable as another Canadian specialized design school with undergraduate and graduate programs.

Broad incumbents

• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): Premier US art and design college with comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs. Comparable as an established design school with strong industry reputation and alumni network.
• Royal College of Art (RCA): London-based postgraduate-only university specializing in art and design with strong research focus. Comparable as an established design institution with research lab culture similar to École's lab ecosystem.
• Parsons School of Design (The New School): Internationally recognized design school in New York City offering undergraduate and graduate programs across fashion, graphic design, interior design, and product design. Broader incumbent in the global design education market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ecoledesignuqam
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecoledesignuqam
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/%C3%A9cole-de-design-de-l-uqam

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 École de design de l’UQAM