LONDON.- London Sotheby’s Institute of Art announced the appointment of Dr. Jos Hackforth-Jones as its new Director of the London Institute.Dr. Hackforth-Jones will assume her appointment as Director in September, 2008. She joins Sotheby’s Institute of Art from Richmond The American International University in London where she serves as President and Provost. Dr. Hackforth-Jones is a distinguished academic administrator, noted art historian, author, curator and lecturer. At Richmond, she raised the international and academic profile of the University, streamlined the academic structure and developed new programmes. She has written numerous academic studies on art historical subjects, including most recently Edges of Empire: Orientalism and Visual Culture, (co-edited with Mary Roberts, Blackwell Publishing, 2005), exhibition catalogues and conference papers, has held a number of international research fellowships, organised colloquia and conferences and lectured extensively. In 2007 she was lead curator of the exhibition, Between Worlds, Voyagers To Britain 1700 – 1850 at the National Portrait Gallery, London and, edited its catalogue.

Prior to her appointment in 2007 as Richmond’s President, Dr. Hackforth-Jones was the University’s Provost, a position she assumed in 2003 after two years as Dean of the University’s School of Arts and Sciences and in which she continues to serve. She holds a PhD from the University of Sydney and an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art. Announcing Dr. Hackforth-Jones’ appointment, Dr. David C. Levy, President – Education Division of Cambridge Information Group, parent organisation of Sotheby’s Institute of Art, said, “It is rare to find the perfect balance of academic and administrative talent that Jos Hackforth-Jones brings to our table. She is a perfect fit and positions us to move forward on many new fronts. Her deep commitment to arts and the world of ideas, coupled with a unique combination of academic entrepreneurship, distinguished scholarship, administrative leadership and real-world savvy, will make the Institute an even more exciting place in the years to come. In addition, her long-standing international interests and expertise will add important energy to our international system and help develop innovative working relationships between our three campuses – inLondon, New York and Singapore.” Dr. Hackforth-Jones said “I am tremendously excited to be joining this leading international centre for art education and am particularly attracted to Sotheby’s Institute of Art’s object-based approach and its experience in preparing students for careers inthe art world. I am also greatly looking forward to working with colleagues at Sotheby’s Institute of Art together with students and professionals in the field, to move the Institute forward”. For forty years, Sotheby’s institute of Art has been preparing students for distinguished careers in the international art world. Today, Sotheby’s Institute of Art comprises academic centres in London, New York and Singapore. Its international focus reflects a commitment to interactive “hands-on” education that draws creatively upon the resources of important art centres worldwide. MA and PhD degrees are awarded in London through the University of Manchester (UK) and combine academic study with professional education. In London, a number of semester and month–long summer study programmes are also offered. The Institutes’ faculty includes scholars and renowned practitioners in the art world, enhanced by experts from Sotheby’s auction house. Guest lecturers include restorers, critics and curators; writers, artists, and consultants. The Institute has over 6,000 alumni worldwide. Sotheby's Institute of Art is a division of Cambridge Information Group.