Vilnius College of Design (VCD) has become an Educational Member of the International Council of Design (ICoD). Membership in one of the leading international design organisations opens up new opportunities to collaborate with design schools abroad, develop joint projects and take part in shaping the international conversation about the future of design education.
Founded in 1963, the International Council of Design today brings together more than 110 organisations around the world, from professional design associations to universities, research institutions and design promotion bodies. The Council works to strengthen the role of the design profession in society, culture and the economy, and to encourage responsible design practice and international cooperation.
VCD has joined ICoD as an Educational Member. This status allows the college to become part of the international design education community, exchange experience in teaching and research, build connections with other institutions and look for partners for joint academic, creative and research initiatives.
In recent years, the college has been expanding its design, media and smart technologies studies and its applied research activities. This membership is another step towards stronger international cooperation. It creates conditions for wider involvement of VCD lecturers and researchers in international professional discussions, joint projects and interdisciplinary activities.
Design community meeting in Madrid
One of ICoD’s upcoming international community gatherings will take place on 5–7 November in Madrid, where the ICoD Platform Meeting and the General Assembly will be held.
On 5–6 November, the Platform Meeting will be part of the Fourth Ibero-American Forum on Research and Design (IV Foro Iberoamericano de Investigación y Diseño). Its programme will bring together designers, researchers, educators and industry representatives to discuss design education, the future of cities, the economic value of the creative industries and design research methods.
Programme topics include research through design practice, the relationship between design and business, bionics, typography and new creative technologies. The discussion “From the Periphery: Design Beyond the Center” will ask how design practices and ideas emerge beyond traditional international centres.
The ICoD General Assembly, taking place on 7 November, is intended for the organisation’s members to discuss the Council’s governance, areas of work and shared international priorities.
Vilnius becomes ICoD’s new base
VCD’s membership coincides with a significant change for Lithuania’s design ecosystem: the Secretariat of the International Council of Design is moving from Montréal to Vilnius.
A group of partners coordinated by the Lithuanian Design Association, of which Vilnius College of Design is a part, is contributing to this process. The new ICoD Secretariat office is being set up on VCD premises.
The establishment of an international organisation in Vilnius increases Lithuania’s visibility in the global design field and creates better conditions for Lithuanian creators, researchers and educational institutions to join international professional networks.
More information:
International Council of Design (ICoD)
.webp%3F2026-10-13T10%3A49%3A03.465Z&w=3840&q=75)
.webp%3F2026-07-28T12%3A00%3A43.151Z&w=3840&q=75)
