Announcing UAL's 2025 honoraries
- Written byStudent Communications
- Published date 08 July 2025
13 exceptional creatives will receive honorary doctorates from University of the Arts London (UAL) at this year’s graduation ceremonies, taking place at the iconic Royal Festival Hall on London’s Southbank from 15 – 18 July. As part of the celebration, in a joint graduation ceremony with UAL, The London Contemporary Dance School at The Place will be awarding music artist and graduate Paloma Faith an honorary doctorate.
From esteemed artists whose work has been exhibited internationally, to an Award-winning video games developer on the BAFTA committee, and the current Creative Director of Off-White, this year’s honoraries are influential artists and public figures – pushing boundaries at the forefront of the creative industries, across a wide range of disciplines.
Meet this year’s honoraries:
Charu Desodt
Charu Desodt is an esteemed games developer who makes critically acclaimed video games and is passionate about increasing the female professional presence within the gaming sector.
Dr Carmen Hijosa
Dr Carmen Hijosa is an environmentally focused entrepreneur, CEO and researcher whose innovation is at the forefront of sustainability within the textile industry.
Dr Paul Matts
Biochemist, Visiting Professor, founder and former Research and Development Vice President of Procter and Gamble–Dr Paul Matts is on a mission to eradicate preventable skin diseases through non-profit initiatives and education.
IB Kamara
IB Kamara is a Central Saint Martins graduate and multi-hyphenate creative, known for his distinct artistic vision which marries African and Western aesthetics.
Johanna Agerman Ross MA
Johanna Agerman Ross MA is a curator, writer, and editor whose impressive body of work highlights the importance of sustainable practices and overlooked narratives within the field of design.
Mary Kelly
Mary Kelly is an esteemed conceptual artist, scholar, writer and educator whose work has made significant contributions to the feminist and postmodernism art movements.
Maya Ober
Maya Ober is a designer, educator, anthropologist and editor, whose work interrogates academic structures and institutions while reimagining them through a feminist lens focused on community building.
Professor Tadanori Nagasawa
Professor Tadanori Nagasawa is an esteemed Japanese cultural engineer, researcher, consultant, author and activist within the world of art and design.
Renée Melanie Mussai
Renée Melanie Mussai is an independent curator, writer and scholar of visual culture and lens-based media, whose work routinely centers Black feminist practices.
Suzann McLean MBE
Suzann McLean MBE is an accomplished actress, educator and CEO currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Director of Theatre Peckham.
Tess Jaray RA
Tess Jaray RA is a Central Saint Martins graduate and world-renowned artist who’s works have been acquired by The Tate, the British Museum and the Centre Pompidou, Paris.
Torishéju Dumi
Torishéju Dumi, a graduate of London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins, is one of the industry’s most promising young fashion designers.
Paloma Faith
Award-winning singer, actress, and author Paloma Faith uses her global platform to raise awareness about social causes and has released multiple critically acclaimed platinum-selling albums.