As Head of College, it is my pleasure and privilege to welcome you all to Central Saint Martins and to the University of the Arts London. Like you, I was once a student at CSM, and I remember my first day being filled with a rollercoaster of emotions: joyful and excited about being here, feeling intimidated by the fantastic students in my year, and anxious about whether I could live up to my own hopes and dreams. These emotions are normal, and the creative journey has its ups and downs. If you are ever in doubt, remind yourself — you deserve to be here, and we thank you for choosing Central Saint Martins and University of the Arts London.
When I first came to the UK as a student at Central Saint Martins, I learnt an important word that fulfils and anchors me till today — that word is practice.
Practice is what we do, how we do, and maybe even, why we are. Practice is our way of contributing to the world with its considerable global challenges. Practice is our pathway to making change — to racial and social justice and climate justice. Practice is what we do daily, to learn, to collaborate and connect with others. Practice is our unique contribution and a celebration of our differences. The practice of our students — of which you are one — continues to inspire us and lead us.
As you join us at Central Saint Martins, you’re joining a community of practitioners just like yourselves — your tutors, your course leaders, programme directors and deans, your technicians and administrators — are creatives like you, and understand what it is to be on a creative journey.
We all look forward to meeting you and to seeing and developing your work.
Dr Rathna Ramanathan,
Head of College, Central Saint Martins