The Creative Leadership Masterclass course at Royal College of Art based at the RCA's new Battersea campus is shaped around the specific nature of what it takes to be a leader within art and design.

Unlock your potential for innovation and creative leadership at the world's number one university for art and design.

Creative Leadership is not a typical leadership strategy. It is for those currently in leadership, aspiring leaders and those who were never encouraged to be leaders (the largest category of all).

This two-day course has been pioneered by the RCA Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design to address the need for new models of leadership across job roles, organisational departments and industry domains. This year it is led by course leaders Chris McGinley, an award-winning people-centred designer and researcher and Dr Ninela Ivanova, an interdisciplinary designer and researcher.

Real change starts within. Creative Leadership is a transformational process that focuses on your individual growth. This can powerfully affect the organisation, team or projects around you.

This executive masterclass is based on the methods and research of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design. It draws on expertise the centre has acquired delivering over 300 projects for clients ranging from businesses to government and the third sector.

This course will be delivered face-to-face at the RCA's new Battersea campus, designed by Herzog & de Meuron.

School: Royal College of Art
Course: Creative Leadership Masterclass
Location: London, UK
Course dates: 9 and 10 October
Application deadline: 30 September 2025

Applications have now closed.

What will I learn during this course?

– Portfolio development
– Strategies to cultivate your individual leadership profile using empathy, clarity and creativity

What are the requirements?

– English at a conversational level and above the age of 21

What facilities and resources are available?

– As this is a short course, participants will have access to workshop materials and slides during the day and will be able to move around the space freely

What can participants expect upon graduating?

– The opportunity to develop and apply the core RCA Creative Leadership attributes and processes
– Access to world-class expertise at the Royal College of Art's new flagship research and innovation facility
– Interaction and networking with peers from different industries and job functions
– An RCA certificate of attendance

Who teaches this course?

– Dr Ninela Ivanova, head of Inclusive Design for Business Impact area at The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design
– Dr Chris McGinley, designer, researcher and writer

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