Professor Naren Barfield is an artist, academic and researcher, and an innovative higher education leader and academic entrepreneur with more than 20 years of senior leadership experience in art and design research, education and internationalisation, working with outstanding talent and teams to deliver successful collaboration, transformational change, agile innovation, and shared opportunities.

As the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at Royal College of Art from 2011-2024, he oversaw the strategic academic direction of the world's leading postgraduate institution for art and design, including 10 years’ unbroken world #1 ranking, along with the #1 position for research intensity, and growth in new programmes, research and innovation, and partnerships.

He is an Emeritus Professor at RCA,  a member of the Board of Trustees at LAMDA, the oldest specialist drama school in the UK, and also served as a Council Member and Insight and Engagement Champion at Research England, supporting the development and implementation of policies and strategies that enhance the quality, impact, and diversity of research and knowledge exchange.

Professor Barfield is an internationally recognised and sought-after expert in creative industries research and knowledge exchange, undertaking strategic reviews and assessments for a wide range of organisations in numerous countries, and serving on national and international teaching and research assessment panels.

He is an advisor and assessor to universities, research councils and learned societies around the world, including as an invited judge for the QS Reimagine Education Awards, a jury member for the Frontier Design Prize, a keynote speaker to UK parliamentary groups, and as a chair for UK Research Council funding panels.