Royal College of Art is world’s top university for art and design…. again

Here we go again. London’s Royal College of Art has once again clinched the title of the world’s leading university for art and design. In fact, it’s the RCA’s 10th consecutive year of winning the accolade.

It has been ranked the best place to study creative subjects globally in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024 list, which is the largest worldwide survey of academic and industry opinion. 

Other UK institutions were also highly ranked but in the latest table, the college had an overall score of 98.5.

As in previous years, University of the Arts London took second place in the Art and Design rankings, ahead of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rhode Island School of Design and Parsons School of Design in the US, plus European institutions such as Aalto University in Finland and Politecnico di Milano.

Professor Christoph Lindner, President and Vice-Chancellor of the Royal College of Art, said: “To reach the milestone of 10 years as the world’s top art and design university is such a significant achievement. It is a testament to the incredible talent of the RCA’s community, and to the vibrancy of creative practice in London and the UK. The combination of leading universities, a diverse cultural ecosystem, and thriving creative industries attracts talent from around the world and continues to drive innovation and encourage new approaches to global challenges.”

Sir Jony Ive, best known for his work at Apple but who’s now Chancellor of the Royal College, said: “The RCA excels based upon a determined effort to constantly evolve. I believe that as we face substantial global challenges, art and design has a particular relevance and value. The world needs curious, creative and collaborative individuals.”

Sir Peter Bazalgette, RCA Pro-Chancellor and Chair, said: “The RCA’s influence reaches deep into the creative industries and far beyond. Its status as the world’s number one art and design university over the last ten years builds on nearly 200 years of excellence across art, design, architecture and communication. This achievement stands as a testament to the UK’s valuable creative industries. Not only are they the bedrock of the country’s soft power, they also attract incredible interest, investment and talent from around the globe to power a significant part of our economy.”