Dr Rolf Hughes is an international expert in artistic research and the strategic development of higher education and training for the cultural and creative sectors. As Education Director at EIT Culture & Creativity, he oversees the commissioning of Master’s and PhD courses, executive education and continuous professional development initiatives, while leading the development of the European Craft Academy as a venture funded by the EIT CC membership. He is also a passionate advocate of the potential of culture and creativity to develop innovative education, research and business opportunities across and beyond EIT’s existing Knowledge Innovation Communities through art, craft and design-led interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary engagements with urgent contemporary challenges such as security, climate change, health, inequality, and the environment.
With a distinguished career spanning artistic and design innovation in academia, research, and policy, Hughes has been Director of Research at Konstfack and Stockholm University of the Arts, held senior professorships in artistic and design-led research in Sweden and Belgium., and was twice elected Vice-President of the Society for Artistic Research by its membership. He has served as an evaluator for the European Research Council, worked for national research councils in Sweden, Norway, Portugal, and Austria, and chaired expert panels for the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, assessing universities vying for Centres of Excellence in Higher Education.
Beyond the academy, Hughes has an international profile in experimental architecture and storytelling. As a member of the Experimental Architecture Group, founded by Rachel Armstrong, his work—spanning publications, performances, and exhibitions—has been showcased at major biennales and cultural institutions worldwide. He is also a member of the “Emerging Bio-Age” expert group at Chatham House, London, contributing to forward-thinking discussions on the intersection of biology, technology, and design.
(photo LinkedIn profile)
