UDEM's School of Art and Design Doubles National and International Distinctions in 2025

• The interdisciplinary approach of its academic projects has positioned students from the Universidad de Monterrey School of Art and Design as agents of creative change. This commitment to innovation and excellence earned them recognition across Mexico, South America, and Europe, strengthening their national and international profile.

In what became an exceptional year, students from UDEM’s School of Art and Design doubled the number of awards obtained in local, national, and international competitions compared to the previous year. This achievement reflects not only the School’s academic quality, but also its ability to transform creative ideas into projects that engage with society and reach global platforms.

Throughout 2025, the School’s seven undergraduate programs and one graduate program surpassed 101 awards, recognitions ranging from animation festivals to industrial and fashion design competitions held in Mexico, South America, and Europe. The number may still increase before year’s end.

The accomplishments were confirmed by Jessica Ochoa Zamarripa, dean of UDEM’s School of Art and Design, who highlighted the exemplary performance of the students.

Ochoa Zamarripa noted that it was an especially successful year for awards at the School, with nearly every program receiving recognition, compared to the 42 awards obtained the previous year.

The disciplines honored included Art, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Fashion Design, Animation and Digital Effects, as well as the Master’s in Graphic Design.

The dean emphasized that the School received accolades at the local, national, and international levels.

UDEM PROJECTS REACHED BEYOND BORDERS

“This has been an exceptionally successful year in terms of awards,” Ochoa Zamarripa stated when reflecting on the School’s performance during the current academic cycle.

She explained that international awards included competitions in South America, where students earned distinctions in the Latin American Design Awards.

Winning projects came from Industrial Design and Graphic Design.

The School also celebrated a victory in the A’ Design Awards, an Italian competition in which a Graphic Design project was recognized.

“We also have a project from Industrial Design and Graphic Design there. And we have awards in the International Design Awards (IDA) as well, through Fashion Design,” she added.

In the area of Animation and Digital Effects, students earned multiple mentions and selections across various festivals throughout the year.

The School also celebrated a recent award for an Interior Design project in the Diseña México competition, the dean noted.

Ochoa Zamarripa also recalled the School’s participation in the Carranza y Carranza jewelry competition, where an Industrial Design student won first place.

STRENGTHENING QUALITY AND OPENING REAL-WORLD OPPORTUNITIES

According to Ochoa Zamarripa, the School’s directors view award platforms as strategic opportunities for growth: “The directors see award platforms as an area of opportunity.”

These platforms helped the public learn about the high-level work being produced within the institution, she said.

The dean emphasized that they aimed to encourage students to create well-documented and well-developed projects that could be submitted to various competitions.

She explained that UDEM’s academic approach trains students to document their projects in the best possible way.

This practice ensured students that their deliverables were of optimal quality, opening doors across the industry.

“This practice not only strengthens their academic performance, but also provides a significant advantage when entering the professional field,” she added.

STUDENTS: AGENTS OF CHANGE WITH A PROACTIVE PROFILE

One standout achievement was the seven of the ten finalists in the jewelry competition were UDEM students, demonstrating the institution’s strong presence and competitiveness in an open call

Ochoa Zamarripa highlighted that students have a highly active and proactive profile, always willing to learn from other fields.

This mindset encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, enabling students to face unfamiliar challenges with confidence and seek solutions.

“They are not afraid to confront something they don’t yet know. They find a way to solve it or ask for support,” she explained.

The dean concluded that students of the School of Art and Design strive to create positive change and are recognized as agents of change thanks to their creativity.

“With their creativity and openness, they seek to develop and generate spaces that contribute to society,” she affirmed.