Key details
Date
- 18 September 2025
Read time
- 1 minute
The Royal College of Art is delighted to announce new Professorships and Readerships awarded for the 2024/25 academic year.
Key details
Date
- 18 September 2025
Read time
- 1 minute
The RCA’s annual call for applications for Professorship and Readership for eligible academic staff of the College took place earlier this year. The Professorial Board, which includes external academic members as well as senior academics from the RCA, met in the summer and the outcomes have now been shared with applicants.
Those awarded Professorship in Academic Year 2024/25 are:
- Dr Sarah Cheang - Professor of Global Design History
- Kerry Curtis - Professor of Design Education
- Dr Cyriel Diels - Professor of Mobility Design
- Dr Qian Sun - Professor of Service Design
Those awarded Readership in Academic Year 2024/25 are:
- Dr Jesse Ash - Reader in Fine Art and Ecological Practice
- Dr Alana Jelinek - Reader in Art Practice and its Theory
- Dr Pil Kollectiv - Reader in Art and Politics
- Dr Rob Phillips - Reader in Sustainable Futures
- Sarah Staton - Reader in Social Aesthetics
The award of Professorship recognises significant and sustained academic and leadership achievements, and the award of Readership recognises staff with an actively developing track record of excellence in both teaching and research.
The scheme affirms the College’s commitment to supporting and celebrating academic career progression and achievement in academic leadership, research and scholarship, and learning and teaching. These newly awarded academic titles are recognised indicators of esteem within the RCA and in our sector more broadly.
“This year’s Professorship and Readership promotions showcase the remarkable breadth of expertise at the Royal College of Art. They are a testament not only to the impactful work of our colleagues but also to the vibrancy of the academic community that underpins everything we do. My warmest congratulations to everyone receiving a promotion - these achievements reflect the dedication, ambition and creativity of our outstanding academic and research staff.”
RCA President & Vice-Chancellor
“I am delighted that we have been able to recognise the talent, hard work and dedication of our academic and research community through this year’s Professorship and Readership scheme. Creating clear pathways for growth and achievement is central to celebrating the outstanding work of our staff, and I warmly congratulate all those who have been awarded this year.”
Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation