For veteran designers looking to get to the next level, iF Design has announced they're launching the iF Design Academy. The idea is to provide a curriculum that mid- and senior-level designers can use to "level up their leadership, business fluency, and future readiness."

"Design leadership has a critical role in shaping a better future," says Lisa Gralnek, Managing Director of iF Design USA and Global Head of Sustainability & Impact. "The Academy gives leaders the tools, insight, and community to lead with purpose."

The Academy's curriculum is built around three core pillars:

- Personal Growth: Building emotional intelligence, resilience, and empathy to lead teams and drive performance with clarity and integrity.

- Business Understanding: Strengthening fluency in business principles and language to align design with broader financial and organizational goals.

- Future Literacy: Anticipating critical technological, business, and cultural shifts to lead and innovate strategically.

Courses are delivered in a flexible hybrid format, combining live online cohorts, immersive in-person modules, and self-directed study. Core markets include Germany, the U.S., China, and South Korea.

The courses will begin this September. You can learn more here.