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Royal College of Art announces new School of Communication & Design

Key details

Date

  • 1 September 2026

Author

  • RCA

School, Centre or Area

Read time

  • 1 minute

The RCA is bringing its communication and design disciplines together within a single, unified School.

Key details

Date

  • 1 September 2026

Author

  • RCA

School, Centre or Area

Read time

  • 1 minute

The Royal College of Art, the world’s number one art and design university, has announced the establishment of a new School of Communication & Design.

The new School brings together communication and design disciplines within a single, unified academic entity. It will operate alongside the RCA’s existing School of Architecture and School of Arts & Humanities, streamlining the university's academic framework into a three-School structure.

The strategic move reflects the increasingly interconnected nature of communication and design practices. The School will provide increased opportunities for interdisciplinary working, shared learning and cross-School engagement with collaboration actively supported through teaching, research and creative practice.

The School will continue to build on the RCA's international reputation for excellence, bringing together material intelligence, making, emerging technologies and critical enquiry to address the complex challenges facing society, culture and industry.

The establishment of the School of Communication & Design marks a major step in the RCA’s academic vision to champion progressive, collaborative education fit for the future of global industry and culture.

Visitors interacting with More Than a Swipe by Yuhan Zheng (Visual Communication) at RCA2026, credit ChrisLee copy

Programmes which will be delivered from the new School of Communication & Design will be: Animation (MA), Communication (MFA/PGR), Creative Education (MEd), Design (PGR), Design Futures (MDes), Design Products (MA), Digital Direction (MA), Fashion (MA), Information Experience Design (MA), Innovation Design Engineering (MA/MSc), Textiles (MA), and Visual Communication (MA).

  • “I'm incredibly excited to introduce the Royal College of Art's new School of Communication & Design. Bringing together a dynamic community of creative disciplines creates new opportunities for collaboration, experimentation and innovation at a time when the world needs creative thinking more than ever. As technologies like AI continue to transform how we communicate, design and make, our role is not just to respond to change, but to shape it. By combining material intelligence, together with critical and creative practice, we're equipping our students to become the artists, designers and leaders who will define the future of communication and design - creating work that is not only imaginative, but inclusive with real impact on society.”

    Professor Kerry Curtis Dean of the School of Communication & Design

  • “Throughout our history, the RCA has continuously adapted our academic model to meet the changing needs of industry and culture. Bringing communication and design together into one school is the next step in that evolution. By aligning these fields and creating the conditions for greater interdisciplinary collaboration, we are ensuring our staff and students remain at the forefront of answering the complex, interconnected challenges facing society today.”

    Professor Christoph Lindner President and Vice-Chancellor of the Royal College of Art