Professor in Anticolonial, Postcolonial and Decolonial Histories and Praxes

The opportunity

UAL Decolonising Arts Institute (DeAI) is seeking to appoint a new Professor to play a pivotal role in developing, driving, co-leading and delivering our interdisciplinary creative research agenda as an Institute within Europe’s largest provider of creative education. The Institute is a collaborative and inter/multi/un-disciplinary space. We welcome colleagues who can bring a range of disciplinary expertise or an unorthodox disciplinary trajectory to the imaginative reconstruction of creative research.

Following DeAI’s pilot development phase (2018-21) and subsequent period of activity focused on major externally funded projects (2021-24), the Institute is now looking forward to a third phase of collaborative development and sustainable growth, moving to a shared leadership model and aspiring towards cross-institutional impact.

Working closely with the Director, Institute Research Fellows and academics across UAL, the post holder will develop and deliver a creative interdisciplinary and integrated research programme for the Institute, securing major grants, and establishing new partnerships and collaborations of strategic importance to the University. They will drive and significantly contribute to activities aligned with DeAI’s aims to:

• Embed decoloniality and global justice into creative research and pedagogy e.g. through experimental models of postgraduate and doctoral education
• Challenge formations of knowledge and power e.g. through externally funded research that influence cross-sector practices and policies
• Grow local and global communities of interdisciplinary creative practice research e.g. by convening collaborative hybrid spaces, to ensure impact, relevance, equity and sustainability; and
• Evolve structures and processes to ensure sustainability, including a decentred shared leadership model that complexifies and enriches the vision and scope of the Institute’s work and networks.

Within UAL, Professors are required to exemplify academic leadership and have a strategic role in the development of the University’s research. Professors will produce research outputs that are internationally excellent and have a record of developing external collaborations of strategic importance. The post-holder will develop their research and practice within the research aims and remit of the University of the Arts London, through work related to the discourses, modalities and ecologies of anticolonial, postcolonial and decolonial histories and praxes across arts and cultures in UK and global contexts, at the UAL Decolonising Arts Institute.

The post-holder will develop and lead research projects and significantly contribute to the academic research profile and activities of the University. They will take a leading role in their appointed areas of research and evidence involvement at a senior level with relevant professional bodies or learned societies. They will also plan and initiate the writing of external funding bids as either Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator and have a record of acquiring significant external funding. Professors are expected to act as Directors of Study and/or supervisors to research degree students as appropriate to their workload.

Interviews are provisionally scheduled for w/c Monday 22 July 2024.

About you

You have a track record of internationally excellent interdisciplinary research in a relevant field or fields.

You can demonstrate successful large-scale grant capture, and experience in developing and delivering significant strategic external collaborative projects either nationally or internationally.

You have excellent academic leadership skills, and substantial experience working with others, including leading projects, teams, and developing more junior colleagues.

You have significant experience of research-informed teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and you have PhD completions as Director of Studies or equivalent.

You possess excellent communication and organisational skills.

If you have any queries about this role or need any reasonable adjustments for your application, please contact Twinkle Brahmbhatt, Senior Resourcing Adviser via email at RKEEstaffrecruitment@arts.ac.uk

We are UAL

University of the Arts London (UAL) offers an extensive range of courses in art, design, fashion, communication and performing arts. We are a collegiate University spread across London with six Colleges, four Institutes and five Research Centres. UAL also has two subsidiary companies, delivering specialist activities – UAL Short Courses Ltd, and UAL Arts Temps Ltd.

We’re made up of all types of people, coming together in London, the world’s creative capital. We are designers, artists, performers, thinkers, researchers and makers. Our students, staff and graduates form a global network of creatives, entrepreneurs and leaders. Together, our ideas change the world. Because the world needs creativity.

We are ranked highly across the board. We are ranked first for specialist art and design, second in the world for Art and Design in the 2023 QS World University Rankings (for the fifth year in a row), ranked fifth in sustainability and two of our colleges were rated in the top three fashion schools in the world.

Our culture

We have become one of the world’s most international Universities, welcoming over 22,000 students and 6,000 staff from 130 countries. And, as a global university, staff and students learn from different cultures and perspectives, which leads to new conversations and innovative work. At our very core, everything we do seeks to challenge the status quo by driving social purpose and standing up for what matters.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds including those who may feel underrepresented in the workforce due to their socioeconomic circumstances such as those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (B.A.M.E.) backgrounds. We aim to be a university where everyone can be themselves and are supported to reach their full potential.

With our commitment to inclusion and diversity, we are proud to be a Race Equality Charter (REC) member to help us reduce barriers that negatively impacts B.A.M.E. staff, a Stonewall Diversity Champion to ensure all LGBTQ+ people are valued at work, a Disability Confident Scheme Committed employer and member of the Business Disability Forum which help us to improve the lives of disabled people in the workplace.

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Candidates are advised to submit applications early.

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