The Royal College of Art is the world's most influential postgraduate institution of art and design. It is a public research university in London, England, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea, and White City. Founded in 1837 as the Government School of Design, it was granted a Royal Charter and university status in 1967. The RCA offers postgraduate programmes in art, design, architecture, communication, and humanities, and is ranked number 1 for Art & Design by QS World University Rankings for 12 consecutive years as of 2026.