Neighbours do not always see eye to eye and there is no reason why they should. But when they do get on, wonderful things can happen. Today, two neighbours on the Strand, the Courtauld Institute of Art, which I Chair, and King’s College London, announce a landmark 10-year strategic relationship. This new vision for the arts at the heart of London represents a game-changer for Higher Education and the arts in the UK .
The Courtauld is both a Higher Education institution and a gallery, but it is much more. It is the world’s leading centre for the study of the history and conservation of art and architecture with a roll call of graduates including the current directors of the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Modern, and the Royal Collection. King’s is a world-famous Russell Group multi-faculty institution, offering a breadth of research and teaching activity, and a vibrant student experience. The interdisciplinary opportunities presented by this new relationship will be of value to all: students, academics, staff, and the public. At a time when everyone is asked to respond to common challenges in areas of health, climate and geopolitics, the new interdisciplinary opportunities are highly-sought in contemporary academic life especially against rival institutions from Europe and across the Atlantic.
