The Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) seeks an ambitious, entrepreneurial, and strategic leader to serve as the next dean of the Institute of Design (ID). Founded by László Moholy-Nagy as The New Bauhaus in 1937, ID is known for pioneering human-centered design, systems design, and design thinking. Today it is home to the only US design school devoted completely to graduate students and prides itself as an international community of learners and practitioners building responsible, cooperative, intelligent futures to address the biggest issues of our time.
ID’s work—through its graduate programs, Action Lab, and Academy—empowers students, designers, leaders, and changemakers on a global scale. ID unlocks opportunities for businesses to pivot and prosper, and for communities to thrive, with its impact seen in three broad areas: repairing critical systems and services in areas such as healthcare and education; developing new value models in the fields of finance, entrepreneurship, and technology; and reimagining civic infrastructures to promote equity and sustainability in key areas including urban spaces and food systems.
Founded on the belief that design connects and enhances every aspect of life, ID prepares students through a range of highly respected stand alone and joint-degree graduate programs, including the Master of Design (MDes), the mid-career Master of Design Methods (MDM), the PhD in Design (the first to be offered in the US), as well as two joint-degree programs in business and public administration. ID has a long history of collaboration with industry, government, and non-profit partners, and for over fifty years has driven business innovation through joint projects, executive education, and a shared commitment to leveraging design principles to tackle today’s complex and intersecting challenges.
Reporting to the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, the next dean will have the opportunity to have a major influence on both the field of design as well as the ambitions of the broader university. They will lead a distinguished faculty, staff, and student body of designers, entrepreneurs, and innovators. With a belief that the future of design and ID are inextricably linked, the next dean will play a lead role in addressing key issues related to ID’s strategic vision, cross-campus collaboration, fundraising and revenue generation, curriculum development, and supporting faculty growth and expansion.
The successful candidate for this position will be globally-minded and forward-thinking, with a record of collaborative administrative oversight and commitment to delivering impact at scale. They will bring optimism, enthusiasm, and the ability to communicate a vision for ID that inspires a clarity of purpose and mission for the future of the Institute. An earned doctorate or other terminal degree related to the field of design is preferred. Scholarship and teaching commensurate with appointment to the rank of full professor is welcomed but the committee will also consider practitioner candidates with a significant record of influence and impact in the field of design in lieu of an established, traditional academic background.
Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be submitted electronically here.
