Royal College of Art announces plans for new Animation MFA programme in partnership with Aardman
21 June 2026: The Royal College of Art (RCA), the world’s number one art and design university, is expanding its partnership with the multi-award-winning animation studio, Aardman, by launching a groundbreaking new MFA postgraduate programme, which builds on the expertise of Aardman Academy, their world-class training facility.
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The planned new two-year master’s degree will combine 40 years of the RCA’s experience in teaching, researching and making animation with the expertise of award-winning animation studio Aardman. For the first time, students will split their time between two centres of excellence, spending three terms immersed in the RCA’s practice-based, academically grounded London studios, and two terms in a professional residency at Aardman’s world-renowned facilities in Bristol.
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The proposed programme will allow students to develop their directorial and artistic voice through an animation project in any medium, with mentorship from professional animators at the RCA a...
Aardman Academy Ofsted Report
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We Let The Inspectors In
By Mark Simon Hewis, Head of Aardman Academy
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In January 2026, two His Majesty’s Inspectors walked into Aardman Animations in Bristol and spent two days inspecting our training provision. Not the films. Not the awards. The teaching.
As far as we know, we are the first film company in the UK to be Ofsted inspected under their own company name.Â
Here is the thing you need to understand about that. Everyone who enters this building signs a non-disclosure agreement. Journalists, partners, students, delivery drivers, everyone. We have live productions in these studios that cannot be seen, discussed, or acknowledged. A studio tour is not something we offer.
Ofsted inspectors do not sign NDAs. They are not legally required to. And they can go wherever they want.
For two days in late January, two His Majesty’s Inspectors had more unrestricted access to this building than almost any external person ever has. They were warm, rigorous and completely respectfu...