L’École becomes a partner of HONOR Talents

Press release dated 16th october 2025

Yesterday, L’École de design Nantes Atlantique signed a strategic partnership with HONOR, the iconic technology brand known for its innovations in product design, artificial intelligence, and connectivity. The company designs, manufactures, and markets smartphones, laptops, tablets, and wearables.

A strategic partnership to foster the professionalization and international outlook of young designers

This collaboration is part of the HONOR Talents Global Design Awards, a worldwide initiative that celebrates creativity, commitment, and the professional development of young designers around the globe.

Recognized for its dedication to responsible and innovative design, L’École de design Nantes Atlantique becomes the first French institution to partner with this international competition. The partnership offers students concrete opportunities for professional integration, international visibility, and cross-cultural experience in direct connection with a major player in global innovation.

As part of this initiative, several students from the UX/UI major of the school’s Master’s in Design program will take part in the project, supported by teams from the Digital Design Lab and HONOR. The winners will have the opportunity to present their projects at HONOR’s headquarters in Shenzhen, China, during an international ceremony gathering leading partner schools and studios from the HONOR Talents network.

Crédits : Jean-Charles Queffelec/L'Ecole de design Nantes Atlantique

"we train designers capable of giving meaning to innovation, collaborating with major international companies, and imagining desirable futures"

Christian Guellerin

Executive Director of L’École de design Nantes Atlantique

« This partnership reflects our belief that responsible and human-centered design should fuel technological progress. At L’École de design Nantes Atlantique, we train designers capable of giving meaning to innovation, collaborating with major international companies, and imagining desirable futures », said Christian Guellerin, Executive Director of L’École de design Nantes Atlantique, who will serve on the international final jury evaluating the participants’ projects.

The signing ceremony, held in the school’s Agora, brought together representatives from HONOR and the institution:

Anne Brochard, President, L’École de design Nantes Atlantique
Christian Guellerin, Executive Director, L’École de design Nantes Atlantique
Pierre-Alain Houard, Chief Marketing Officer, HONOR France
Hantao Cui, Director, HONOR French Institute
Tina Feng, Chief Aesthetics Officer, HONOR
Frédérique Krupa, Director, Digital Design Lab
Martijn Verpaalen and Florent Michel, Heads of the UX/UI major, Master’s in Design program

The evening began with a tour of the school’s digital workshops and student projects, followed by official speeches, a presentation of the HONOR Talents initiatives, and a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the launch of the partnership.

An audience of around fifty guests – partners, students, and faculty members – discovered the professional and international opportunities offered by this collaboration.

By combining education, research, and strategic partnerships, L’École de design Nantes Atlantique continues to strengthen its international influence strategy, placing the professionalization and global recognition of young designers at the heart of its educational mission.