The Disur 2026 Congress will bring together design programs from public universities in Latin America.

During the assembly held last month at the University of Río Bío in Chile, the Disur network, made up of more than 70 public design courses from seven Latin American countries, elected the Universidad Nacional de Rosario as the venue for the Congress to be held in 2026.

Next year marks the end of the first cohort of the Graphic Design program offered at the Faculty of Architecture and the Fashion and Textile Design program in the Humanities and Arts, both established three years ago. Interest in these academic programs, previously limited to the private sector, was reflected in the opening of the program with 2300 students enrolled, a number that has been steadily growing. These new programs were added to the Industrial Design program, offered at the Architecture Faculty since 2019.

“All areas are influenced by design, and in many cases, communication is graphic, which has meant that in recent years there has been a general appreciation of design,” says Soledad Palomeque, director of the Graphic Design program. Graphic design was historically in demand, but today many young people choose it after high school, among the wide range of programs offered at public universities.

It's worth noting that these programs were implemented in a coordinated and interdisciplinary manner across two academic units. "Students in graphic design, apparel, and industrial design intersect in different subjects, which is very enriching and paves the way for the rest of the programs," reflects María Laura Carrascal, Director of Apparel and Textile Design.

They offer an intermediate technical degree after three years and a bachelor's degree after four. These are relatively new, shorter programs that can be further complemented with specializations, allowing for quick entry into the workforce. They employ a project-based methodology with institutional support and promote interdisciplinary collaboration.