EDUCATION
MA Design Studies (Distinction)
Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design
1996
Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Art and Design (Distinction)
Centre for Learning and Teaching in Art and Design, University of the Arts London
2007
BA (Hons) Industrial Design, Transport (2:1)
Coventry University
1994
EMPLOYMENT
Head of the School of Design (Dean) and Professor of Design
National College of Art and Design, Ireland
January 2017 – present
As Head of the School of Design I am responsible for the academic leadership and development of the School, managing a team of over 70 staff and a budget of €4.5 million. The School of Design offers the largest range of design degrees in Ireland at undergraduate and postgraduate level, with graduates regularly winning major international and national awards.
As a member of the college management team I have co-developed the college’s new ‘bold and curious learning’ strategic plan and Higher Education Authority (HEA) compact, leading a number of compact projects including research, innovation and engagement, and establishing NCAD’s new Design Labs. All of which has contributed to our continued rise up the QS world rankings by subject.
In addition to my role as Head of School, I am also the institutional lead for the Creative Futures Academy – a consortium led by NCAD, in partnership with IADT, UCD and the creative sector, including the Arts Council, Design & Craft Council, Institute of Designers in Ireland, RTÉ and Screen Ireland. The HCI funded project was awarded over €10 million, and seeks to empower creative practitioners with the sustainable and adaptable skills and attributes that they will require to shape the future of Ireland’s creative sector.
I have led the development of new blended, online, low residency and intensive learning options for students, housed within a new programme architecture that incorporates stackable micro-credentialed options for early and mid-career creative practitioners ranging from 5 credit Professional Certificates through to 90 credit MA’s. This has enabled the college to transform our learning frameworks to facilitate new agile and flexible approaches with, and for, the Cultural and Creative Industries, and led to unprecedented levels of inter and intra higher education institutional engagement.
Director
National College of Art and Design, Ireland
July 2017 – January 2018
During a six-month duration I undertook the role of Acting Director (President) of the institution, overseeing the management of the colleges resources, academic direction, governance and finances in a caretaker ‘acting up’ capacity.
Programme Director, Irish Design 2015
Design and Crafts Council of Ireland
June 2014 – December 2016
I was responsible for directing this major €5 million government backed initiative. The overall goal was to increase the awareness, understanding and use of design in Irish society, and to promote Irish design capability internationally, in order to sustain employment and generate new jobs in the sector. The two-year initiative formed part of the Irish Government’s Action Plan for Jobs.
Major outcomes included:
- An 11 fold return on investment, resulting in a direct economic impact of €55.44 million
- 1.7million exhibition attendees, 24.6 million installation viewers, 17.8k workshop participants, 26.8k talks/symposium attendees, a digital audience of 1.2 million and 130k social media followers and unique website users
- 6486 Irish designers/companies showcased on the island of Ireland and 476 Irish designers/companies showcased internationally
- 370 new design businesses registered in Ireland during 2015
- Over 17,000 designers and 1,500 business professionals receiving design training
- 80+ corporate and strategic partnerships created
- Generating sponsorship and philanthropic donations totalling over €5.2 million
- Dublin awarded the status of 2015 IAD World Design Hub
- Exhibitions developed with V&A, Design Museum London and Vitra Design Museum
I was subsequently commissioned to develop Ireland the design island – towards a National Design Strategy for the Irish government, a document, which sought to embed design policy within all Government departments and State Agencies in Ireland.
Head of the Faculty of Design (Dean) and Professor of Design
National College of Art and Design, Ireland
May 2012 – June 2014
I was responsible for the development, validation and successful introduction of a new academic structure and curriculum for the Faculty, and its constituent departments. Helping establish NCAD as a top 100 QS world ranked art and design institution. My duties included balancing a faculty budget during a period of financial austerity and managinga large team of academics, researchers, technicians and administrators, who delivered a diverse range of UG and PG programmes including Ceramics, Glass, Fashion, Jewellery & Metalwork, Medical Device Design, Product Design, Textiles & Surface Design, Textile Art & Artefact and Visual Communication. I was also responsible for developing new interdisciplinary collaborations between the NCAD and University College Dublin helping establish an academic alliance.
I fostered a new research & commercialisation agenda that resulted in a significant increase in annual commercialisation income through the creation of Origin8, a new design innovation hub. I managed a number of major research grants as Project Coordinator or Institutional Lead and Co-Investigator worth in excess of €1 million.
Deputy Head of School, Director of Research and Reader in Design
School of Textiles and Design, Heriot-Watt University
April 2010 – May 2012
As part of a new management team, I helped oversee the development of a research-led school philosophy, motivating staff through a period of radical transition in staffing numbers and profile, curriculum development and growth in student numbers. I was directly responsible for the management and strategic development of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Activities, REF preparations and documentation for the School and Unit of Assessment, resulting in a UK best rating of 100% for impact in the REF. I was responsible for the development of new collaborations between the School and the wider University, such as the Creativity, Design and Innovation research theme; as well as inter-institutional initiatives such as the Scottish Academy of Fashion which received £500k of SFC funding. I was also responsible for authoring and validating a new undergraduate programme in Interior Design run in the Scottish and Dubai Campuses, as well as a new suite of postgraduate programmes that resulted in dramatically improved domestic and international recruitment levels.
Head of Design & Applied Arts and Associate Head of the School of Design
Edinburgh College of Art
Jan 2007 – April 2010
I was responsible for the development, validation, management and delivery of new BA (Hons) and MA/MFA programmes in Design and Applied Arts, including Glass, Interior Design, Product Design and Jewellery & Silversmithing. As Associate Head I was part of a management team charged with creating a new School of Design, with a new academic structure, philosophy and research-led agenda. I helped develop and implement a widening participation strategic project focused on equality and inclusivity. I was also the School of Design’s research coordinator and responsible for the development of interdisciplinary research themes and a number of collaborative national and international networks, helping develop collaboration with the University of Edinburgh in preparation for the institutional merger, as well as the School’s REF planning. I taught and assessed students at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing as part of an academic partnership with the college, which helped inform the internationalisation and cultural diversity of our curriculum.
Head of Furniture, Product and Interior Design Department
Edinburgh College of Art
June 2003 – Jan 2007
I was responsible for the development, management, co-ordination and delivery of the BA (Hons) and MDes programmes in Furniture & Product Design and Interior Design, as well as the delivery of modules for the BSc (Hons) in Integrated Product Design and MSc in Creative 3D Digital Technologies in collaboration with Heriot-Watt University.
Senior Lecturer in Design, School of Design and Media Arts
Napier University
July 2002 – June 2003
I was the BDes (Hons) Design Futures programme administrator and staff co-ordinator. Teaching responsibilities included tutoring within the BDes (Hons) Consumer Product Design, Industrial Design and Interior Architecture programmes and postgraduate project supervision.
Course Director, BSc Innovative Product Design
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee
June 2001 – July 2002
I was responsible for the initial delivery and development of this innovative cross-faculty programme, liaising with staff within the College and the University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Programme Leader, BDes Interdisciplinary Design
Napier University
Sept 1996 – June 2001
I was responsible for writing the programme’s documentation, steering it through validation and the programme’s continued academic development, syllabus and administration. As a BSc (Hons) Industrial Design and BA (Hons) Interior Architecture Module Leader, I was responsible for the modularisation and semesterisation of the design curriculum. As Industrial Liaison Coordinator for the Department of Design. I helped contribute to achieving the highest employment rate for art and design graduates in the UK in league tables.
Visiting Lecturer, MA Design Studies
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Feb 1996 – Sept 1996
I was a studio tutor and research advisor for postgraduate students in the School of Design.
VISITING /ADJUNCT POSITIONS
Erskine Fellow
School of Design, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
2019
During my three month long fellowship, I worked with management and teaching staff to develop an academic strategy for the newly established School of Design, using design approaches to support collaborative thinking and co-develop a range of solutions that can co-deliver change.
Director of Design Research
University College Dublin
2016 – 2018
Within this part-time professorial role I was responsible for developing a coherent strategy for design-related research across UCD. I worked with stakeholders across the university and externally in industry and in government/public bodies to articulate the best means to leverage current and future potential in design research across a range of methods, disciplines and themes.
Visiting Professor
Manchester School of Art, Manchester Metropolitan University
2015 – 2017
Visiting Professor
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Aston University
2015 – 2017
Visiting Research Professor
National College of Art and Design, Ireland
2014 – 2016
Visiting Research Fellow
School of Architecture, Design and Environment, University of Plymouth
2012 – 2014
EXTERNAL EXAMINING
2024 – present External Examiner, BA Design for Sustainable Innovation
University of Warwick, UK
2022 Institutional Reviewer
Vilnius College of Technology and Design, Lithuania
2021 – 2023 External Examiner, MA Design and Applied Arts
University of Wolverhampton, UK
2019 Programme Reviewer, BA Interior Architecture & Design
Yeats Academy of Arts, Design & Architecture, Institute of Technology Sligo, Ireland
2013 – 2016 External Examiner, BDes (Hons) Product and Furniture Design, School of Architecture and Design, University of Ulster
2014 Course Evaluator, BA (Hons) Design (Visual Communication), Waterford Institute of Technology
2014 External Advisor on Periodic Review, BSc (Hons) and MSc Product Design, Aston University
2011 – 2013 External Examiner, MA Visual Communication and MA Textile Design, Norwich University College of the Arts
2009 – 2014 External Advisor and Module Reviewer, School of Arts and Creative Industries, Edinburgh Napier University
2009 – 2012 External Examiner, BA (Hons) Three Dimensional Design, University of Plymouth
2008 – 2011 External Examiner, MA Product Design and MA Design and Visualisation, Birmingham City University
CONSULTANCY
Academic Consultant
Uversity, National University of Ireland
April – August 2016
I developed a strategy and new suite of courses that identified and articulated the core and unique elements of Uversity’s educational proposition. Creating educational structures that combined theory, practice and immersive experiences.
Creative Director
Claystation
June 2003 – April 2012
I successfully developed, delivered and disseminated a number of innovative participatory and co-design projects, events and creative methods.
Creative Director
Outgang Limited
Jan 2007 – Jan 2009
I was responsible for the creative output and new product development for an award-winning Scottish product design and development company; personal projects included the design of an innovative rotationally moulded chair/stool/lounger.
Freelance Designer
July 1994 – Dec 2006
I delivered training programmes and undertook projects for a number of industry and public sector clients.
DOCTORAL SUPERVISION
Fostering key competence development in second-level students through design learning. Emma Creighton, NCAD2019
Into the Wild: using research through design to generate a toolkit for the evaluation of prototypes in context. Caoimhe McMahon, NCAD, 2018
Playful engagements in product design, developing a theoretical framework for ludio-aesthetic interactions in kitchen appliance. Bahareh Shahri, ECA, 2014
TEACHING AWARDS
Students under my direct supervision have won numerous awards including: D+AD Pencil 2021, IDI Awards 2020, 2019 and 2018, D&AD Global Student Design Award winners and commendations in 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999 and 1998, RSA commendations and shortlists in 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 and 2000 and Design Week Overall Best of Show at New Designers 1998.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Fellowships
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Fellow of the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI)
Chair
Chair of Design Educators Ireland
Memberships
Member of the National Design Forum, Ireland
Member of the DBEI Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) Design Skills steering group
Member of Design Research Society
Member of Design & Emotion Society
Member of the Institute of Designers in Ireland Council 2012-2015
Jury Member
Design Museum Designs of the Year Nominator 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019
A’ Design Awards Jury Member 2016, 2017 and 2018
Institute of Designers in Ireland Awards Jury Member 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018
Advisory group member, National Craft Gallery, Ireland 2016
Jury Member, Local Heroes – Scottish Year of Architecture, Design and Innovation 2016
Curatorial Panel Member, Craft Design House 2016
Image Design Awards Judge 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019
Só Collective Council Member 2016
Reviewer
Editorial board member of Iterations – Design Research and Practice Review
Reviewer for The Design Journal
Reviewer for Design Principles and Practices: an International Journal
Conference Chair
Design Now, Dublin 2015
Cumulus – More for Less, Design in an age of austerity, Dublin, 2013
REFERENCES
Available upon request
alex milton design 