The iF Design Student Award, a component of the iF Design Award, is recognised globally as one of the most prestigious design competitions for students. In 2025, a total of 6,610 entries were received, highlighting exceptional student concepts committed to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Assistant Professor Dr Jairo da Costa from the Faculty of Engineering Technology has been selected as an iF expert juror for the iF Design Student Award 2025. The iF Design Award, established in 1954, brings together some of the most respected experts in their respective fields and has included widely recognised figures from the industry, such as designer Dieter Rams, as past jurors. The judging process occurs in two phases: an online jury in March and a physical jury in Berlin in April 2025. All submissions must align with one of the 15 UN Sustainable Development Goals and are evaluated against five criteria: problem-solving, moral-ethical standards, solidarity, economic calculation, and beneficial experiences. Jairo is part of the Interaction Design research group and teaches several courses in the Industrial Design Engineering programmes. He also teaches PhD and EngD candidates at the Twente Graduate School in the Creative and Design Thinking course.
iF DESIGN AWARD: A Global Challenge
iF Design was founded in 1953, and just one year later, the globally recognized iF DESIGN AWARD was given for the first time as a symbol of outstanding design. The iF DESIGN AWARD is one of the most important and prestigious design awards in the world. Every year, several thousand designers, architects and companies from all over the world take part to have their design evaluated by independent design experts.
