Partners
Education Partners
De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) is a dynamic institution with a long and vibrant history of improving people’s lives through education. Originating in 1870 from the Leicester School of Art, De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) was granted university status in 1992 and took its name from Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester.
The modern-day DMU has around 20,000 students, drawn from around the world and divided across its four faculties of Art, Design and Humanities, Business and Law, Health and Life Sciences, and Technology.
The university places a strong emphasis on career-relevant skills. Its extensive links with business mean DMU Graduates are some of the most employable in the country. These means that through the brilliant knowledge learned through your National Design Academy course, along with a De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) accreditation, this is a brilliant way to start your new career. DMU is among the top 25 UK universities with the best employment rates, with almost 96% of its graduates in work or further study six months after graduating (well above the national average).
DMU is proud to be recognised as a university ranked Gold under the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The award is a recognition of the consistently outstanding teaching and learning on offer at DMU and the extraordinary impact that has on our students.
De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) origins begin with Art & Design, so we couldn’t think of a better fit. The now extensive arts department will offer a brilliant backing to the expert tuition of National Design Academy tutors. All our National Design Academy degrees will be accredited and awarded through De Montfort University Leicester (DMU), while you will study with the NDA.
National Design Academy is part of The NDA Foundation – a not for profit organisation. Profits are re-invested back into the Foundation for the benefit of its students. This means lower fees than other design schools and colleges, and allows more people to study. This also helps us to further enrich the Student Experience.
Leicester College and NDA have been working together for over 13 years in a highly successful partnership which has enabled students to access funding. Together, we have seen thousands of learners achieve valuable skills in design, enabling them to progress onto degree courses or further both their personal creativity and their professional careers.
AIM Awards are an British awarding body recognised by the Regulatory Authorities of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. AIM Awards accredits all National Design Academy Diploma courses, in Professional Interior Design, Professional Curtain Making & Soft Furnishings and Professional Garden Design.
ESF in England is investing in jobs and skills – focusing on people who need support the most and helping them fulfil their potential.
Industry Partners
Brabantia puts all its expertise into developing solid, reliable homeware products that retain their beauty and performance over many, many years. Designed for the present, but made to last. Brabantia’s product range covers five categories: waste storage, food storage, food preparation, laundry care and bathroom articles.
Since its foundation in 1919, the traditional, family owned business run by engineers and craftsmen has grown into what Brabantia is today: a successful business with four production units, employing 1.000 employees and active in no less than 85 countries.
Today, the skills and expertise that built the company are supplemented by specialists. Specialists in the latest materials and in computer aided design and manufacturing. Specialists who secure Brabantia’s position as one of Europe’s leading suppliers of innovative household products.
Electric String Ltd was created by former super yacht electronics design team James Symonds and James Ward.
With a combined experience of over 20 years in providing solutions for the super yacht and professional audio industries, Electric String Ltd was formed with the aim of delivering the highest quality design, expertise and service to give you the enjoyment that an expertly integrated yacht, home or corporate space gives.
In 2014 Electric String merged with RSAV Solutions Ltd. RSAV Solutions Ltd have established themselves over the past few years across the UK and Europe with expertise in commercial and high end residential audiovisual projects/installations. To increase expertise, capability and support for all of our clients both existing and new we decided to bring both companies together.
We’re also very proud to be an industry partner of the British Institute of Interior Designers (BIID) and the National Design Academy (NDA). We work proactively with these organisations to educate and support designers in the audiovisual and automation sector.
We are proud members of infocomm and CEDIA and work closely with our specialist audiovisual partners including Crestron, Extron, Meridian Audio, Amina invisible speakers, Future Automation, Samsung & CISCO.
International Decorative Surfaces is the UK’s largest distributor of surfacing materials specialising in flooring, worktops, laminates, panel products and solid surfacing. The company is part of the Saint Gobain Group, recognised as Europe’s leading organisation in building materials.
Hanolex Ltd. is a supplier of eyelets, grommets and other metal pressings, the vast majority of which are manufactured by their UK factory. They also manufacture and supply eyeleting machines and associated toolage and have supported the NDA by offering fitting tools for our students to practice with.
Hanolex sell direct to the end user as well as wholesalers and pride ourselves on being able to supply a complete package of component and equipment regardless of the size of the job and are capable of producing eyelets and pressings to customer’s own specifications as well as supplying “off the shelf” components.
Associate Partners
Henry Bagshawe is a designer and maker of hand-crafted contemporary furniture and bespoke woodwork for private clients and commission. He has produced a series of bespoke pieces to enhance the interior of the NDA.
Henry is happy to work with interior designers at special rates.
An ideal resource for Heritage Interior Designers; Enormous Art is the UK’s leading supplier of fine art prints of famous artists’ works. Image quality is excellent and they aim to make prints as close to the original paintings as possible.