The new Dean's office team of the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society

As of 1 September 2024, the Faculty of Communication, Culture, and Society will welcome Professor Matthew Hibberd as its new Dean. Professor Jolanta Drzewiecka and Professor Lorenzo Cantoni will also join the Dean's Office in the roles of Vice-Dean and Study Delegate, and Vice-Dean, respectively. 

Professor Matthew Hibberd is a Media Management, Media Economics and Media and Cultural Industries Professor at Università della Svizzera italiana. From 2011 to 2016 he was Head of the Department of Communication, Media and Culture and Professor of Communication, at the University of Stirling, Scotland, UK. He was Professor at Libera Università Internazionale per gli Studi Sociali (LUISS), Rome, from 2008 to 2015 and from 2021-2023 and also held the same position at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome from 2005 to 2013. He was Visiting Professor at Leicester De Montfort University from 2018 to 2020 and at Kasetsart University, Bangkok from 2022-2024. He is a member of the UK College of Teachers (FCollT) and the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).

The newly appointed Dean and his team have been tasked with implementing the Strategic Plan for 2025-2028. The plan aims to focus on the university's and the Faculty's key priorities, which include improving community relations, adopting sustainable practices, acquiring research projects, streamlining teaching modules, and creating additional academic positions in identified key areas, such as Artificial Intelligence. Moreover, the plan also aims to identify and introduce new courses and programmes. The ultimate goal is to strike a healthy balance between teaching, research and service while ensuring a sustainable work-life balance that promotes the well-being of colleagues.

"Professor Jolanta Drzewiecka, Professor Lorenzo Cantoni and I wish to provide continuity to the work of the Faculty in the coming years," says Professor Matthew Hibberd, "while incorporating changes that can help improve administrative procedures and teaching and research processes. Our aim will be to promote collegiality wherever possible while striving for further success for the entire Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society."