Sainsbury Institute and SOAS launch lectureship in Japanese Art

A jointly-funded lectureship in Japanese Art at SOAS University of London, in partnership with the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures (SISJAC), has been announced.

Formally introduced by SOAS Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Habib at the recent SISJAC symposium, Transnational Japanism: Art, Craft and Design, the position - the Sainsbury Institute Lecturer in Japanese Art - will play a central role in both teaching and research at SOAS.

This significant and prestigious new academic post has been made possible through a collaboration between SISJAC and the School of Arts. It reflects a shared commitment to advancing the global study of Japanese art and culture through strengthening scholarship, nurturing future academic leaders, and expanding public engagement in this important field, ensuring it continues to thrive, evolve, and reach new audiences.

This new lectureship reflects our shared commitment to advancing the global study of Japanese art and culture, and to nurturing the next generation of scholars. 

The postholder will contribute to SOAS’s internationally recognised expertise in Asian art, while also engaging closely with SISJAC’s dynamic scholarly community and its programme of research and public engagement activities.

Professor Adam Habib, Vice-Chancellor of SOAS, said: “This new lectureship marks an important moment in our long-standing partnership with SISJAC. It reflects our shared commitment to advancing the global study of Japanese art and culture, and to nurturing the next generation of scholars. Through this collaboration, we are strengthening both our academic offering and our ability to engage wider audiences in this vital field.

This initiative builds on the long-standing partnership between SOAS and SISJAC since 1999, and signals a new phase of collaboration, combining academic excellence with a shared vision to strengthen and expand the study of Japanese art and culture on a global stage. This position will play a central role in teaching, research, and collaboration between the two institutions.

Professor Simon Kaner, Executive Director of the Sainsbury Institute, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with SOAS on this important new Lectureship, which supports the continued development of Japanese art and culture at an international level. This initiative reflects our shared ambition to foster innovative research, teaching, and public engagement, ensuring that this important field continues to evolve and reach new audiences.”