DAE Celebrates the class of 2025 MA Graduates

Joseph Grima, Creative Director of Design Academy, began the ceremony by reflecting on the significance of graduating from this institution. “Design Academy Eindhoven isn’t just a school it’s really a community…one that is very small but incredibly diverse, which makes it especially precious”.

He went on to emphasise this point by adding that “Everything we do at DAE is focussed on trying to create this environment where you can learn from each other. Where you can create connections, new studios and ideas where we ultimately hope a new and better world can be created.”

He concluded by sharing that the ceremony was especially emotional for him, as it marked Grima’s final year as the academy’s creative director.

The stage was then given to Ilse Meulendijks, the head of the Masters department who highlighted this graduating classes’ ability to “sit with discomfort”, talking about their tenacity in addressing the growing complexities of our times. She concluded by introducing the heads of the five master’s departments, inviting them to share their reflections on the past two years with their students.

Nadine Botha, head of the Social Design department was first to speak, positing that her student’s work being celebrated today was far from being final answers, and for this reason, much more powerful. “It’s about designers making space for uncertainty and contradiction. [treating] design not as a solution machine but a way to ask better questions.”

Critical Inquiry Lab co-head Saskia Van Stein tried to further elaborate on the nature of the work produced within the school for the gratified parents in attendance offering in more simple terms [at Design Academy Eindhoven] “we design design”.

After these recollections, each department split off to host their own diploma signing ceremonies where more intimate moments could be shared.

In the Contextual Design program, department head Afaina De Jong, reflected on each students journey, sharing stories from their first admission interview and where they stand now as graduates. Meanwhile in the Critical Inquiry lab, heads Saskia van Stein and Patricia Reed read out impassioned descriptions of each graduates project before inviting them to receive their diploma.

After all the official diplomas were signed, the event convened with a selection of drinks and appetisers crafted by Design Academy’s ZBar team.