College Honours
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Honorary awards are conferred during the Royal College of Art’s convocation ceremonies to a select international group of outstanding people and are the highest recognition the College can bestow upon an individual.
Lubaina Himid CBE receives her Honorary Doctorate from Chancellor Sir Jony Ive at Convocation 2022
The conferral of these honours provides an opportunity for the College to acknowledge exceptional accomplishment. Such recognition is given to persons who have made an outstanding contribution to the achievement of the College’s mission, to scholarship or professional practice in one or more disciplines or professions of interest to the College, to the advancement of society in the UK or overseas or to the life and objectives of the University.
College Honours are approved by the Senate and the Council on the recommendation of the Honours Committee
Criteria
Honorary Doctor
Their work should be held in international esteem and they should have brought distinction to their chosen discipline, contributing to a specific field or society in general. There is a strong presumption that Honorary Doctorates will be conferred upon individuals whose life work is related to the academic disciplines and research programmes of the RCA.
Honorary Doctors do not need to have a prior link with the College but could be:
- Academics with an international reputation who have an existing or potential link with the College.
- National or international figures whose work serves to make a statement about the College’s mission and vision.
- Recognition of achievements which have not previously been recognised.
- Persons who bring distinction through association, future advocacy or support to the College.
- The RCA will ensure that honorary doctorates are awarded in accordance with its values and policies concerning equality, diversity, inclusion, and widening participation.
Honorary Fellowship
A number of the following criteria will be used when awarded honorary fellowships:
- distinguished associates of the College, they will have achieved distinction in their area of practice, academia or public life;
- Council members who have rendered exceptional service during their appointment;
- Departing Deans/ Heads of Programme who have rendered exceptional service but do not meet the criteria for Professor Emeritus (i.e. are not retiring);
- Supporters and champions of the College who have rendered exceptional service to the College.
Fellowship
Fellowships are awarded to employees of the College and the criteria are:
- Employees who have made an important contribution to the College in their area of work or expertise.
- Recognition of exceptional service to the College.
Exclusions
The College does not normally consider nominations for:
- Currently serving politicians (British or overseas) or from those who hold responsibility for Higher Education or research funding in the United Kingdom. Members of the House of Lords are not normally excluded as long as they are not holding formal government posts at the time.
- Individuals who are currently closely involved with the College such as in the role of Visiting or Research Professor.
- Members of Council, except where they have indicated their intention to step down.
- Members of College staff on the basis of their service to the College, but they may be considered on the basis of exceptional service at a regional, national or international level (applies to Honorary Doctorates/ Honorary Fellowships).
How do I nominate?
Nominations can be made by contacting the governance team governance@rca.ac.uk you will be asked to complete a short nominations form which will be considered by the Honours Committee.
