ESDESIGN strengthens its European presence through its connection with the BEDA network

ESDESIGN, Higher School of Design of Barcelona, part of Planeta Formación y Universidades, continues to advance its internationalisation strategy by benefiting from the representation provided through the Bureau of European Design Associations (BEDA). This organisation brings together Europe's leading design associations and represents the sector before European institutions.

As a member of the Spanish Network of Design Associations (READ), the school is part of a community committed to strengthening the role of design as a strategic tool for addressing Europe's major social, economic and environmental challenges.

BEDA brings together nearly 50 organisations from 27 European countries and promotes public policy, research, international collaboration and best practices across disciplines including graphic design, industrial design, product design, visual communication, service design and strategic design. Its mission is to establish design as a key driver of sustainable growth, innovation and competitiveness across Europe.

Through its connection with READ, new opportunities continue to emerge for the ESDESIGN community, providing access to European programmes, conferences, international calls for applications and specialist working groups, while also benefiting from the institutional representation that BEDA provides before the European Union.

Among the initiatives promoted by the organisation is MADres, a strategic project led by BEDA and co-funded by the European Union through the Creative Europe programme. The project positions design as a catalyst for building a more sustainable, inclusive and competitive Europe by focusing on three key priorities: artificial intelligence skills and digital ethics, planetary design and accessibility, and the development of a European framework for design policies.

Through this initiative, a wide range of resources, training programmes, public policy labs, international expert networks and activities are being developed for professionals, institutions and organisations across the creative sector.

Thanks to this connection, ESDESIGN reaffirms its commitment to practice-oriented education in a real-world environment, closely connected with the leading international design organisations. The school continues to foster knowledge exchange, professional collaboration and active participation in projects that contribute to shaping the future of design in Europe.

This partnership represents an ongoing opportunity to strengthen the school's international position while offering students, faculty members and professionals an ecosystem that is increasingly connected to the trends, challenges and opportunities that will shape the future of design in the years ahead.