Skip to main content
A black and white image of a man wearing a shirt, smiling and looking at the camera.

In a touching tribute to the late Professor Les Mitchell, his family has launched the Professor Les Mitchell Travel Award. This prestigious annual award, established through a generous yearly donation, aims to provide a transformative opportunity for an undergraduate student in Design. The award embodies Professor Mitchell's unwavering dedication to his students and belief in travel's enriching power.

Les Mitchell enjoyed over forty years at Edinburgh College of Art. His career began with First Year students, then the Furniture Department, and ended as Head of the Design School before being awarded an Emeritus Professorship. He accompanied many students over the years on design study trips to such places as Scandinavia, Germany, Italy, and Spain. This award is in memory of those travels and in the hope that future recipients will find it helps stimulate and enhance their own design ideas. 

The Professor Les Mitchell Travel Award is an opportunity designed to help students challenge their understanding and approach to their practice by immersing themselves in new cultural and professional environments. This award will be a catalyst for students to gain invaluable global perspectives, enhancing both their educational journey and personal development.

We are thrilled to honour Professor Mitchell's memory through this award. His passion for student development and belief in the power of travel to expand one's perspective is a fitting tribute to his legacy.

Jessamy Kelly

Interim Head of Design

Awarded by an academic panel in Design, the Travel Award will recognise students who have displayed academic excellence, focusing on those who may be experiencing additional barriers to their studies. The recipient of the inaugural award will be announced in early June 2024. 

Jessamy Kelly, Interim Head of Design, commented, "We are thrilled to honour Professor Mitchell's memory through this award. His passion for student development and belief in the power of travel to expand one's perspective is a fitting tribute to his legacy." 

The award will profoundly impact the recipients, allowing them to explore new cultures, learn from diverse design practices, and bring back innovative ideas to their practice and future careers.

Travel awards and student experience gifts are vital for our students. If you would like to discuss making a gift to ECA please contact Rachel Bruce, Philanthropy Manager, to hear more about how you can support ECA at rachel.bruce@ed.ac.uk.