École de design Nantes Atlantique Faces Enrollment Drop, Cuts Nine Positions
École de design Nantes Atlantique experienced a significant decrease in first-year enrollment, dropping from 228 students in September 2024 to 150 in September 2026. This represents a 25% decline from the 200 students enrolled in 2025-2026, following a 12% decrease the year prior. The shortfall against the anticipated 180 students has led to a revenue loss of €225,000. In response, the school launched a Plan de sauvegarde de l'emploi in June 2026, resulting in the elimination of nine positions. Director Christian Guellerin linked the enrollment drop to challenges in private higher education, including economic instability and reduced apprenticeship funding. The institution aims to enhance international collaborations, notably with Design Village in Delhi and Universidade Mackenzie in São Paulo. This information was reported in Le Journal des Arts n°684 on October 2, 2026.
Key facts
- First-year enrollment at École de design Nantes Atlantique dropped from 228 in September 2024 to 150 in September 2026.
- The school lost €225,000 in revenue due to the enrollment shortfall, with tuition at €7,500 per year.
- A Plan de sauvegarde de l'emploi (PSE) launched in June 2026 resulted in nine job cuts in pedagogical management, communications, and IT.
- Director Christian Guellerin attributed the decline to economic, social, and political instability, reduced apprenticeship subsidies, inflation, and distrust of private education.
- Public higher education enrollment grew by 2% in 2025, while private institutions fell by 1.7%.
- The school plans to host students from Design Village in Delhi (founded 2014) in France from September 2029.
- A partnership with Universidade Mackenzie in São Paulo will allow Brasil Studio students (opened 2017) to study in France.
- The school is developing projects in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand, including a partnership with a Bangkok university to receive Thai students from 2028.
Entities
Artists
- Christian Guellerin
- Claire Marchal
- Bita Azimi
- Delphine Paul
- Éva Hameau
Institutions
- École de design Nantes Atlantique
- Strate École de design
- Galileo
- Design Village
- China Academy of Art
- NACAA
- Universidade Mackenzie
- Brasil Studio
- Le Journal des Arts
- L'ŒIL
- École d'architecture de Versailles
- École d'art de Bordeaux
- Ésam Caen-Cherbourg
- Le Cube
Locations
- Nantes
- France
- Delhi
- India
- Hangzhou
- China
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Vietnam
- Indonesia
- Thailand
- Bangkok
- Versailles
- Bordeaux
- Caen
- Cherbourg