Founded in 1837, the Royal College of Art (RCA) is the world’s largest postgraduate-only community of art and design students. Ranked as the world’s number one university for Art & Design for 12 consecutive years (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015–2026), the RCA offers an exceptional environment for research, experimentation and creative leadership.
Under the leadership of President & Vice-Chancellor Professor Christoph Lindner, the RCA is entering a transformational phase as it works towards its bicentenary in 2037. Its ambition is to become the world’s most influential art and design community, with a renewed approach to research, education, partnerships and organisational culture, and a global footprint rooted in collaboration, curiosity, inclusion and integrity.
It is in this context that the RCA now seeks an outstanding leader for the position of Dean of the School of Architecture. Reporting to the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education and Student Success, the Dean will provide academic leadership, strategic direction and financial stewardship for one of the world’s leading postgraduate schools of architecture and the spatial disciplines.
Located in Kensington, the School of Architecture provides a dynamic, postgraduate-only environment where radical ideas meet real-world impact. Its programmes span Architecture, Interior Design, Design Practice, City Design, Environmental Architecture and PhD research, engaging with the defining challenges of our era including climate resilience, material futures, spatial justice and emerging creative technologies.
Following ten successful years of leadership by Professor Adrian Lahoud, the next Dean will lead the School into a critical new phase. They will build on its distinctive international reputation for ambitious, experimental and research-led approaches while bringing their own intellectual vision to the future of architecture, studio-based pedagogy and practice-led research.
The Dean will shape the School’s strategic priorities for education, research, people, partnerships and resources; support innovation in curriculum, pedagogy and modes of learning; strengthen the School’s research culture and international visibility; and ensure it is optimally positioned for REF2029 and future research assessments. They will also contribute actively to the wider leadership of the RCA through Senate, Executive Board, Deans’ Group and other College bodies.
The Royal College of Art will be supported in this appointment by executive search firm Perrett Laver.
Application is by submission of a full curriculum vitae (CV) and a covering letter of application. The CV should include all educational and professional qualifications, full employment history, and details of key achievements. The covering letter should be between two and three sides of A4 and should address your interest in the position and the RCA, how you meet the job description and person specification, and an indication of your vision for the School if appointed.
For details of the appointment, including further information about the job description, person specification, please click on the "Request Further Information" button below.
For informal enquiries, please contact May Charrat on May.Charratt@perrettlaver.com.
The deadline for applications is 09.00 BST on Monday 5th October 2026.
Formal panel interviews will take place in November.
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