Professor Paul Harris named Dean of DJCAD

Published On Mon 11 Aug 2014 by Grant Hill

Professor Paul Harris has been appointed Dean of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (DJCAD), part of the University of Dundee.

Prior to taking up the post, Professor Harris was Head of Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen and brings with him a wealth of leadership experience and a passion for creative clusters, cultural economics and cultural regeneration.

He graduated in photography from Birmingham College of Art & Design in 1980, and subsequently worked in broadcast television for a Channel 4 independent producer, the BBC, and ITV networks. From 1994, Professor Harris taught media production in a number of Scottish institutions, and was head of film and television at Edinburgh College of Art from 1994 to 2002.

In 2002, he became Professor of Screen Media and subsequently Creative Director of the Institute of Arts, Media and Computer Games at the University of Abertay Dundee, where he was successful in attracting funding of over £9 million to deliver a number of innovation and knowledge exchange projects in support of Scotland’s Creative Industries. It was during this period that Professor Harris became actively involved in establishing the reputation of the Digital Media and Computer Games cluster in Dundee.

He said, “On my return to Dundee, my ongoing ambition is that the city and DJCAD will continue to grow their reputations for excellence within the international arena, and place Dundee and the University at the forefront of the world’s creative industries.

“I am extremely pleased to be taking up my new post at such an exciting time in Dundee’s growth. The Waterfront Development and V&A Dundee project provide further opportunities for growing what is already an attractive and internationally renowned creative industries sector in the city.

“DJCAD has had a hugely impressive reputation and profile in both research and teaching for many years. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to work with my new colleagues in building on that reputation further, and realising the full potential of this world class school of art and design.”

Professor Harris has won numerous national and international awards during his career as a director, script advisor and executive producer of student work, including two Royal Television Society Awards, a BAFTA Scotland for best new documentary talent, and a British Academy Award for best short film.

He has served on BBC Scotland’s Music, Arts & Entertainment, Independent Review Panel, was Chair of the Scottish Executive’s Moving Image Education project, a Board Member of Scottish Screen, and Chair of the Scottish Screen Lottery and Investment Panel, during which time he oversaw the funding of many Scottish films, including The Flying Scotsman, Stone of Destiny, and the Oscar winning Last King of Scotland.

Professor Harris has been a member of the Advisory Board for the Centre for Excellence in Media Practice, and was until recently a member of Learning and Teaching Scotland's Advisory Council and main Board of Directors. He is currently a member of the Regional Advisory Board for Scottish Enterprise, Tayside, and is a member of Scottish Enterprise’s Digital Media Industry Leadership Group. In 2010, Paul joined the Board of Scotland’s sound Festival of New Music, and this year he was appointed as an International Specialist in Cinema and Digital Media by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications.

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