Capilano University’s IDEA School of Design Named Canada’s #1 Design School

Capilano University’s IDEA School of Design has been named Canada’s top design school by the Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) 2024 Student Awards, the nation’s largest professional design competition.

This ranking, judged by a panel of over 100 design professionals, considers only schools whose students submitted entries. Out of 33 students submitting 79 entries, IDEA earned an impressive 6 Winner awards and 9 Honourable Mentions, highlighting the program's success in translating creative exploration into industry-ready excellence.

For graduate Vylan Tran, this achievement reflects the program’s unique structure and supportive approach:

“Students in IDEA’s Bachelor program can explore various classes in many different areas, from branding to illustration to UX/UI. When I first applied, my portfolio mainly included paintings and other traditional media and I was unsure about what to pursue since all I knew was fine arts. Choosing a program that gave me the freedom to explore and learn various skills before deciding to concentrate on one area was a key factor in my decision. The mentorship and practicum components of the IDEA program were very valuable to me. After each experience and throughout my entire time in IDEA, I became more and more confident of my abilities as a designer with the help of my instructors, classmates and other design mentors.”

Vylan Tran

IDEA School of Design coordinators shared words of encouragement for all students:

“Huge congratulations to our RGD Winners and Honourable Mentions. It takes bravery and effort to enter—well done all of you. To anyone who entered and didn’t win this time, it doesn’t mean your work wasn’t good—it simply means it was not what the judges were looking for. Keep working and submitting!”

— Dominique Walker, IDEA School of Design Coordinator

“Amazing work from everyone who participated last year! Let’s see it happen again. RGD student awards are now open for 2025—submit your work now! Students can submit up to 4 projects for free.”

— Christina Lee Kim Koon, IDEA School of Design Coordinator and Chair

IDEA Students Shine at 2025 RGD Student Awards

IDEA students achieved outstanding results at the 2025 RGD Student Awards, earning multiple Winner and Honourable Mention recognitions across a range of disciplines:

Winners:

• Siobhan Barry – Advertising Design

• Keira Schick – Packaging Design (Series)

• Jordan Richert – Packaging Design (Series)

• Megan Heigh – Packaging Design (Single)

• Louis Yau – Packaging Design (Single)

• Kayla Do – Social Media Design

Honourable Mentions:

• Liza Borissova – Colour

• Alexia Sogai – 1st Year Student

• Louis Yau – Motion Design

• Brendan Hurt – Packaging Design (Series)

• Cameron Skorulski – Packaging Design (Single)

• Alexis Chiang – Retail Design

• Rachel Lu – Social Media Design

• Liza Borissova – Social Good Design

• Louis Yau – UX Design

The RGD, Canada’s largest professional design association with more than 4,500 members, sets national standards for excellence in design, education, and ethics. The school’s rigorous, industry-focused curriculum ensures students graduate portfolio-ready and job-ready for careers across visual communication, illustration, branding, UX/UI, motion design, digital media, character and storyboard art, environmental design, web and application design, and more. This top ranking underscores IDEA School of Design’s position as a premier Canadian institution for nurturing award-winning, industry-prepared creative talent.

Explore the work that made this achievement possible on our 2025 Graduate Showcase site.

Check out the full Top 10 Design Schools list based on the 2024 RGD Student Awards for more context.