Meet the Royal College of Art in Lisbon

Studying at the Royal College of Art places you in London: a city internationally renowned for its creativity, culture and diversity - the perfect place to develop your creative career in. What do prospective students need to know about living and studying in the UK?

You’re invited to meet Dr Alessio Franconi (Tutor Research School-wide) in Lisbon for an in-person conversation about studying at the RCA.

What to expect

Tuesday 29 April 2025, 4-8pm

4-6pm: One-to-one meetings

6pm: Main event starts

6.15: RCA presentation

7pm: Q&A

7.30pm: Networking

8pm: Event end

The first part of this event will one-to-one 20 minute meetings with RCA staff. This is a perfect opportunity to have your portfolio reviewed, ask specific questions and get perosnalised advice.

IMPORTANT: We kindly ask that you only select one meeting session to allow others the opportunity to attend. We regret that duplicate bookings will be cancelled.

The second part of the event will involve a short background presentation about the Royal College of Art. An open Q&A will follow and then a networking session to meet fellow applicants and offer holders in your area, answer any questions you might have about studying at the RCA and share advice on your application or best preparing yourself for study.

Who is this event for

• Those interested in postgraduate study at the Royal College of Art
• Current RCA applicants and offer-holders
• Friends and family are also welcome to join, though please ensure they have a ticket

You don't have to specialise in any discipline to attend this event: we welcome guests planning to apply to all subject areas.

Due to the postgraduate nature of RCA study, all attendees must be over 18.

How to join

The event is free to attend, but please note that places are limited. Pre-booking is essential to guarantee your spot.

I'm thinking of applying to the RCA - can I have an informal portfolio chat?

Yes! We're delighted you're thinking of starting your RCA journey. Please book a portfolio appointment during the registration process.

About the hosts

Dr Alessio Franconi (Tutor Research School-wide)

Alessio is a forward-thinking designer, educator, and researcher who is committed to creating sustainable and equitable future systems by using strategic design and business interventions.

As a school-wide tutor, Alessio teaches in AcrossRCA, Grand Challenge, and MDes Design Futures. He holds a PhD in Circular Design from the University Iuav of Venice. During his studies, he focused on developing a tool (www.circulardesign.it) that enables product and business designers to effectively manage complexity and achieve multiple product life cycles.

He has conducted research in universities worldwide, including California Polytechnic State University (CA, US), Rochester Institute of Technology (NY, US - Fulbright Scholarship), Technical University of Delft (NL), Brunel University London (UK - ERASMUS+), and Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (TR - ERASMUS).

Other events at the RCA

We are continually adding to our diverse programme of events: conversations on key topics such as funding advice and portfolio development, symposia, exhibitions, open days and more. Many are free and open to the public.