After 30 years at Central Saint Martins, Professor Nicholas Rhodes from Central Saint Martins is leaving in August 2025 to become the head of the new Institute for Design, Product and Materials at the Royal Danish Academy.
As Programme Director for Product Ceramic and Industrial Design (PCID), Nick has pioneered the development of the MA Design for Industry 5.0, blending ethical design, industrial innovation, and purpose-led entrepreneurship.
Rebecca Wright, Dean of S School said:
“Over more than 30 years at Central Saint Martins and as Programme Director of Product, Ceramic and Industrial Design, Nick has been hugely influential to the life and success of the college, to design education and to the evolution of the wider disciplines of product and industrial design. With his focus on innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship, Nick has fostered a culture in which industry-facing enterprise and socially-engaged practices flourish through partnerships that span disciplines, academia, governmental and governmental bodies. Among his many achievements is the Queen’s Anniversary Prize, which recognizes the major contribution of industrial and product design at Central Saint Martins to the creative economy, industry, commerce and the profession of design. It is characteristically stylish that Nick’s next career step is into such an exciting role at the prestigious Royal Danish Academy and while it is undoubtedly a huge loss for the S School and Central Saint Martins, he leaves a significant legacy on which we will continue to build. We are thrilled for Nick and excited at the opportunities to continue to work together across institutions in the future.”
Nick has led more than 350 Knowledge Exchange projects in the commercial, cultural, and social enterprise sectors. He has also worked with prominent industry partners and governmental bodies in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Caribbean.
He is a co-founder of the Global Design Faculty, a platform for international collaboration between higher education institutions in Europe and Asia, and the creator of Design Transforms, a multidisciplinary platform exploring the scope of design in transforming societal challenges.
Nick said:
“It’s with a mix of sentiments that I announce I am stepping down from my role at Central Saint Martins UAL, an institution that has shaped my professional life for three decades. Leading the Product, Ceramic, and Industrial Design programme has been profoundly gratifying, and I leave confident it will continue to thrive under the stewardship of its outstanding, talented, and dedicated team.While leaving this London community is not without its pangs, I’m incredibly excited by the prospect of joining the leadership team at Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Academy of Architecture, Design, and Conservation, a storied institution of exceptional creative accomplishment and cultural impact.As I navigate this transition, I look forward to fostering the dialogue between these two places, confident that the connections made will generate new pathways for intellectual, creative, and cultural enrichment.”
“It’s with a mix of sentiments that I announce I am stepping down from my role at Central Saint Martins UAL, an institution that has shaped my professional life for three decades. Leading the Product, Ceramic, and Industrial Design programme has been profoundly gratifying, and I leave confident it will continue to thrive under the stewardship of its outstanding, talented, and dedicated team.
While leaving this London community is not without its pangs, I’m incredibly excited by the prospect of joining the leadership team at Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Academy of Architecture, Design, and Conservation, a storied institution of exceptional creative accomplishment and cultural impact.
As I navigate this transition, I look forward to fostering the dialogue between these two places, confident that the connections made will generate new pathways for intellectual, creative, and cultural enrichment.”
Mathilde Aggebo, Dean of Design, Royal Danish Academy said:
"I am absolutely delighted that Nicholas Rhodes will be joining us at The Royal Danish Academy. He is an outstanding fit as head for the new Institute of Design, Product and Material, bringing with him extensive academic experience and a strong international network. In addition, his many years of professional experience in the design industry—both as a designer and through close collaborations with the business sector in education and research—will be especially valuable, particularly in light of the upcoming master’s programme reform. I very much look forward to welcoming Nicholas to the Academy and to taking this opportunity to strengthen our collaboration with Central Saint Martins in the future."