UCDA Events

January 9, 2026: Thinking of Starting a Student Run Design Agency? Is there a student-run design agency at your school? How did you start it—and how’s it going? Join this open conversation to share your experiences or learn how to …

New Year Meet & Greet: Meet the UCDA Board and Executive DirectorKick off the new year with a meet and greet with our new UCDA Executive Director and say hello to the new UCDA board members. Share your professional goals, …

February 13, 2026: Developing a Research Agenda Ever wondered how to turn your creative practice or personal curiosities into a meaningful research path? Join us for an engaging conversation about clarifying the distinctions between practice-based and scholarly research within the …

March 13, 2026: Scholarship - Publish or Perish Join us for our conversation on Publish or Perish. The phrase has long been part of academic life, but it’s really about how we share ideas, advance knowledge, and build professional credibility. …

April 10, 2026 : Rank, Tenure and Promotion Join us for a conversation on promotion and tenure. While the process can sometimes feel complex, at its core it’s about demonstrating growth, consistency, and impact. Each faculty member’s path is unique—whether …

2026 UCDA Creative Summit Tuesday, April 14 & Wednesday, April 15, 2026 The 2026 UCDA Creative Summit is a two-day virtual event providing inspiration to refill your creative fuel tank. Programming is curated to spark your imagination and facilitate ideas …

May 8, 2026: End of the School Year Faculty Hangout!  Join us for a virtual hangout exclusively for design faculty! It’s a relaxed online space to casually connect with colleagues, share ideas, talk about the semester, or just chat about …

UCDA 2026 Design Education Summit: Horizon Expanding boundaries, exploring new possibilities. The horizon represents both a limit and a possibility—a boundary that invites us to imagine what lies beyond. "Horizon" serves as a metaphor for exploring the future of design …

June 12, 2026: 2026 Design Education Summit—Horizon: Recap Whether you attended this year's Design Education Summit or not, you will benefit from attending this month's session which will recap the event. Come ready to share your favoriate parts and takeaways …

August 7, 2026: 2026-27 Academic Year Kick-Off Please note this in on the first Friday of the month. Share what you did this summer and your plans for the school year, as well as ideas and suggestions on topics for …