Preparing Arts Students for the Workplace of the Future

The Royal College of Art has been ranked as the world's best university for art & design for six consecutive years, making it one of the most attractive destinations for arts students on a global scale.

We spoke with the college's Vice Chancellor, Dr Paul Thompson, recently about this record of success, which he credited to the fact the Royal College of Art is a small, specialist, postgraduate only institution. 

He said: "We're based in one of the creative capitals of the world (London), and I think we are the most research-intensive art and design school in the world. We are really powered by the research of our faculty and I think that creates an incredible ecosystem because we're very research-active, generating new insights and knowledge. This attracts the best students from around the world and we have students who come from about 70 different countries at the moment."

We have previously covered how students at the Royal College of Art have the opportunity to work with industry leaders, from Hyundai to Visa, and these experiences are just one way the college ensures its students are ready for the workplace of the future.

Dr Thompson told us: "We're looking to train creative leadership and we're trying to instill creative leadership qualities in the sort of individuals who graduate from the RCA. About 40 percent of our graduates go on to set up their own businesses, so they're very entrepreneurial which is something we're very proud of.

Find the complete video of our discussion, which also touched upon the the importance of art and design in the fourth industrial revolution, below.