Congratulations to the students completing their studies this year. It was a pleasure to celebrate the hard work, creativity and achievements of our graduates at both of our 2026 graduation ceremonies.

School of Design Graduation

Our School of Design celebrated Graduation Day at Senate House in London, just a stone's throw from our Bloomsbury campus. Students were joined by family, friends, tutors and design industry professionals to mark the achievements of this year's graduates across our Garden Design and Interior Design programmes.

We were delighted to welcome our 2026 Fellow, Edward Bulmer, founder of Edward Bulmer Natural Paint, who delivered an inspiring address, sharing his passion for craftsmanship, sustainability and the importance of working with natural materials.

The ceremony featured awards for students graduating from the Diploma Garden Design, Diploma HE Interior Design, Diploma HE Applied Interior Design and BA (Hons) Interior Design programmes. Student Association President Cara Wisden also addressed the graduating cohort, before an address from Professor Kate O'Riordan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students) at the University of Sussex.

Outstanding student achievement was recognised through a range of industry prizes, including the Homes & Gardens Award for Contemporary and Creative Design, United in Design Award for Inclusivity, RIBA Award for Design Drawing, SBID Award for Commercial Interiors and the Trustees' Prize. West Dean Trustee Yen-Yen Teh presented the Trustees' Prize during the ceremony.

School of Arts and School of Conservation Graduation

Our School of Arts and School of Conservation graduates celebrated against the beautiful backdrop of the South Downs National Park at West Dean College.

We were honoured to welcome our 2026 Fellows, Professor Peter Gregory and Dr Rebecca Struthers, who delivered inspiring addresses before the presentation of awards across our diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

The ceremony celebrated graduates from Foundation Diploma, Professional Development Diploma, Foundation Degree, BA (Hons), Graduate Diploma, MA and MFA programmes. The Vice-Chancellor's Prize was presented by Professor Michael Luck, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at the University of Sussex, alongside a range of prestigious prizes recognising excellence across the arts and conservation disciplines.

These included the Antiquarian Horological Society (AHS) Southern Section Prize, Historic England/John Ashurst Prize, The Arts Society Chichester Research Prize and the Trustees' Prizes for the Schools of Arts and Conservation.

Congratulations once again to all of our graduates. We are incredibly proud of everything you have achieved and are delighted to welcome you to the West Dean Alumni community – a global network of graduates making their mark across the arts, design, craft and conservation sectors.