What started as a small university-funded initiative in 2019 has now delivered over 120 projects and collaborated with industry giants like BBC, Unilever, Matt Collishaw, Canary Wharf, Wates and Mozilla. Studio KT1 was meant to last three years, but it thrived during a global pandemic, launched an award-winning pop-up, and became a profitable, student-powered creative agency. Over five years, it has evolved from an experiment into a sustainable business, proving that real-world experience shapes real careers. But what does it take to keep innovating?
Having spent the past sixteen years working in higher education, my focus has always been on closing the gap between university learning and real-world experience. I’ve been learning from people half my age since 2009. In my work, I’ve embedded external clients into university modules, challenging students to tackle their industry briefs. While most businesses rely on their existing workforce or costly consultants to drive change, this model taps into fresh perspectives from the next generation before they graduate.
Recently, a business development consultant remarked to me that innovation must be easy within a university. The reality? It has never been easy. Universities, by nature, are risk-averse institutions. Decision-making typically rests with senior leadership, and academia often hesitates to embrace change. But students are rewriting the rules. If they can earn £25,000 a week through social media, what incentive do they have to pursue a traditional degree?
I took a group of students to the SXSW Interactive Festival in 2014. We visited cutting-edge digital agencies and the IBM offices: spaces filled with standing desks, whiteboards, and agile workflow. We heard about Bitcoin and attended a conversation with Edward Snowden. One second-year web media student had a lightbulb moment afterwards—she realized she could quit university and earn £40,000 p.a. as a developer. I didn’t stop her. Yes, I know the salary isn’t such great shakes now, but at the time it was.
Five Years of Studio KT1: A Case Study in University Innovation
So how do we do things differently to keep students engaged and give them the skills they need for the future? Studio KT1, the project I launched in 2019 at Kingston University was originally intended as a three-year research project within the Cultural and Creative Industries Department at Kingston School of Art. Today, it thrives within the Innovation Partnerships strand, part of the Student Development and Graduate Success Team, responsible for implementing the Future Skills Programme.
What’s the secret to Studio KT1’s staying power? The incredible students and graduates who drive it forward. We provide a framework based around an agency model, a steering hand to guide both creative and client. It is a safe space for creativity to flourish: for students and clients to have fun, crash and break things. For us to take on the risk. Give space for things to fail.
We’ve tackled some wild projects—from a light-up polar bear and animated bats to a flash mob in the Bentall Centre, a crowdfunded pop-up shop and a creative manifesto. Our portfolio includes a global art commission for one of the world’s biggest brands Unilever and an office chair-curling event. Clients have ranged from local businesses to international powerhouses, and the experience has propelled our students into careers with MUBI, Etsy, ASOS, and LEGO.
As part of our five-year celebration, we launched our latest collaboration with developers Canadian & Portland, who generously provided us with a temporary blank space for an exhibition. Once a branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland, it echoed the aesthetic of the White Cube —a fitting backdrop for the artwork on display.
Championing Emerging Talent
Encouraging, nurturing, and platforming young creatives is what drives Studio KT1. As part of our five-year celebrations, we put out an open call to students and graduates, spanning Foundation, Grad Diploma, Undergraduate, and Postgraduate levels. The resulting exhibition featured ceramics, prints, textiles, comics and more—a testament to the wealth of talent emerging from the university.
We also launched our first Impact Report: a celebration of projects, clients and former students, taking stock of how we’ve done and analysing the scores on the doors, encouraging us to do better, go further and beyond. You can scroll down to read it here
Innovation in universities isn’t about policies or top-down initiatives. It’s about fostering environments where students can experiment, collaborate, and create real impact. Studio KT1 is proof that when given the opportunity, young creatives don’t just rise to the challenge—they redefine the future, change the world and scare people. We need it in times like this.
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