This prestigious recognition places the school among a very small circle of academic establishments committed to working alongside this world-renowned organisation for animation, visual effects and video games.
This collaboration is part of ESMA’s international development strategy and will lead to the introduction of new student facilities from the start of the new academic year in September 2026.
International recognition for ESMA
This is a major announcement for ESMA and its entire community. By becoming a Leadership Global Fund Sponsor of Women in Animation, the school joins a particularly select group of academic partners committed to the organisation on a global scale.
ESMA is now one of only two educational institutions to support WIA at this level, alongside the School of Visual Arts in New York. This distinction testifies to the international recognition the school enjoys, the quality of its courses and the work accomplished by its teaching teams and students.
This membership also strengthens ESMA’s presence within the professional networks that shape the creative industries on an international scale.
Women in Animation, a major player in the industry
Founded in Los Angeles, Women in Animation has been working for several decades to improve the representation of women and people from under-represented gender identities in the animation, visual effects and video game industries.
The organisation brings together an international community of professionals and develops numerous initiatives designed to promote access to resources, career opportunities, professional networks and training.
Her work has helped to change the way the industry is represented. According to data from the Animation Guild, the proportion of women in the creative professions in animation has risen from 20% in 2015 to 34% today.
A partnership serving future ESMA students
In addition to institutional recognition, this partnership will enable ESMA to offer new opportunities to the students who will be joining the school in September 2026.
As part of this collaboration, the students concerned will gradually be able to be informed about and directed towards various programmes developed by Women in Animation, including professional events, specialist workshops, mentoring schemes and the WIA Scholarship.
These initiatives will complement the support offered by ESMA by providing additional opportunities to discover the international industry, exchange with professionals and develop one’s network.
The terms of access, the conditions for participation and the timetable for rolling out the various schemes will be communicated to the students concerned from the 2026-2027 academic year.
Training tomorrow’s designers
For Isabelle Teissedre, ESMA’s Director of Education, this collaboration reflects a strong ambition:
“Joining Women in Animation at this level is a major recognition of the work carried out by our teaching teams and students. This partnership also reflects our desire to train artists who are open to the world, aware of developments in their industry and capable of playing a full part in it.
By joining Women in Animation, ESMA is affirming its commitment to a creative industry that is more open, more representative and more connected to contemporary issues.
This new step strengthens the school’s position as one of the leading international players in the fields of animation, visual effects and video games. The benefits associated with this partnership will be gradually integrated into the student curriculum from the start of the new academic year in September 2026, as part of ESMA’s strategy of international expansion.
Find out more
Students wishing to find out more about the actions and programmes offered by Women in Animation can consult the organisation’s official website and its various social networks.
Women in Animation is present on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and BlueSky.