Buildings

After 1821, the academy grew in importance again, as the School voor Burgerlijke Bouwkunde was connected to it. Now it moved in the house of the Korenbeurs (Grain Exchange).^[22] This small building was important for the future of this school.

Later, it moved to the Boterwaag (weighing house for butter), but there was not enough light for the painting classes. Finally in 1839 the academy got its own building at the Prinsessegracht; it was designed by Zeger Reyers in the architectural style of neoclassicism.

In the 20th century, the classes grew, necessitating more space. Thus, from 1934 to 1937, the academy got a new building at Prinsessegracht 4. The building was built in the style of the Bauhaus.^[23]

Hague School

At the end of the 19th century, the art scene in The Hague flourished, in what was also known internationally as the Hague School. Many well-known artists like Breitner, the brothers Maris (Jacob Maris and Matthijs Maris) and Bosboom were trained in the academy. In the first half of the 20th century the academy played an important role in the Netherlands, too.

The new departments of photography and design arose under Bauhaus-influence.

At that time, the teachers of the avant-garde such as Gerrit Kiljan (1881–1961), Paul Schuitema (1897–1973), Paul Citroen (1896–1983) and Cor Alon (1892–1967) dominated the academy. The academy expanded its curriculum as one of the first Dutch schools by teaching in the field of industrial design.

In 1938 a new building erected on the site of the old house. The design was one of the architectural firm Plantenga, Buijs & Lürsen.

Modern times

In 1990, the academy and the Royal Conservatory joined into the Academy of Fine Arts, Music and Dance (now University of the Arts The Hague).

In 2000, a general overhaul led by architect Van Mourik Vermeulen was carried out, enlarging the campus.

In 2001, a collaboration between Leiden University and the Royal Academy of Art resulted in the first formalised collaboration between a Dutch university and art institute. The Royal Conservatory, the Royal Academy of Art and Leiden University now offer joint degree programmes, including ones at doctoral level.

The academy's focus on novel technologies and new media has resulted in state-of-the-art workshops, studios and departments such as ArtScience, Interactive/Media/Design and Non-Linear Narrative.

Leadership

The management and administration of the KABK is led by director Ranti Tjan, with Fenna Hup acting as the deputy director.^[24] Administrative and managerial duties are divided among several heads of various departments, each responsible for different aspects of the academy's operations.

The broader organization of the academy includes several administrators. Each of these administrators plays a crucial role in maintaining the smooth operation of the institution, from overseeing technical services and facility management to quality assurance, international affairs, marketing and communications, and human resources.

The educational programs at the academy are managed by department heads responsible for their respective academic areas. They supervise a team of teachers and one or more coordinators, and ensure the quality and relevance of the educational programs at the academy. In addition to the administrative and academic roles, the KABK's administration also includes positions of lectors, such as Prof. Dr. Anke Haarmann (Lectorate Art Theory & Practice) and Prof. Dr. Alice Twemlow (Lectorate Design).

Student participation in the administration is emphasized in the Academy Council (DMR-KABK), University Council (CMR-HdK), and Study Programme Committee KABK.^[25] These bodies consist of student and staff representatives and are involved in decision-making, ensuring student voices are heard at the highest levels. Similarly, the University Council and Study Programme Committee include students and teaching staff alike.

The academy also has a separate examination board consisting of elected tutors.^[24] Ranti Tjan was dismissed after a court case in juni 2023.^[26]

Supervisory Board

In November 2023 a member of the Supervisory Board stepped down at his main place of work duw to accusations of funding fraud by the Eu. He was allowed to stay on at the Art Academy in The Hague. ^{[27] [28]}

Department structure

The KABK offers two broad bachelor's degrees to its students, a BA Design and a BA Autonomous Fine Arts. It divides these degrees into several departments or programs. These departments are the organizational unit within the Royal Academy of Art that are responsible for the curriculum of the bachelors' specializations. A specialization is an implementation of a degree program with a focus on a specific profile within the objectives of the program, e.g. on a specific artistic discipline.^[25] For example, the departments Graphic Design and Interactive/Media/Design, whilst being a separate department with a different faculty and curriculum, are both specializations of the same broader bachelor's degree, BA Design. All specializations within a degree program share the same final qualifications/learning objectives. Each department also has its own propaedeutic phase and its own main phase.

From the onset of the bachelor's program, there is a focus on activities related to research. The curriculum is designed to instill a research-oriented, critical attitude in students. This critical approach is evident in students' work, papers, and – where applicable – final theses. Emphasis is placed on reflection, critical assessment, and the analysis of one's own and others' work in both historical and contemporary perspectives. To facilitate this, research is conducted to understand the process and motivation behind work created elsewhere and in the past.^[29][30]

At KABK, this research-oriented approach is introduced in the academy-wide preparatory class Research&Discourse. It is also observed in later years in subjects such as fashion or photography criticism, and in numerous practical and studio assignments. In some departments, students initiate their own research, while others have established research groups.

The specialization Fine Arts (BA Autonomous Fine Arts) is also offered as a part-time program, and so is the specialization Photography (BA Design). Final qualifications of full-time and part-time programs are exactly the same, but have less contact hours than full-time programs, and thus require more independent work from students. The duration of the part-time programs in terms of calendar years depends on the time the student is able to spend on independent learning and possible exemptions that can be granted.

In addition, KABK offers various elective Individual Study Tracks (ISTs) which essentially serve as mini-departments. The goal of an IST is to facilitate new education and gauge the potential of programs to serve as future departments.^[31][32]

Global faculty and emeriti faculty

Admissions

Admission to the programs at the KABK is highly selective, based on a comprehensive admission examination that includes an evaluation of portfolios, interviews, and often on-site or online exercises. The acceptance rate varies greatly per department. For instance, in the 2023–2024 academic year, around 1200 applicants competed for roughly 50 places in the graphic design program, putting the admission rate for that year at a mere 4%.

The graduation rate also varies. In the 2021–2022 academic year, 536 were admitted and 434 graduated. The number of admitted as well as graduating students has increased in previous years, with 390 admitted in the 2016–2017 academic year and 256 graduated, while in the 2019–2020 academic year, 465 were admitted and 353 graduated.^[5]

Collections

Demographics

The academy argues that art and design are pre-eminently international disciplines. As such, it assumes an international orientation.

KABK has a large international student population, with 63% of students being international.^[16] The student body is highly diverse, with about 60 different nationalities represented in the 2021–2022 academic year. Out of 565 international students, 384 were from the EU/EEA, and 181 were not. According to the OSIRIS report in 2018, EU students came mostly from Germany, France, Italy, and Poland. Non-EU students predominantly came from South Korea, the United States, Russia, and China. The teaching at KABK is primarily in English and, when necessary, bilingual.^[5]

The student body at KABK spans a variety of age groups, from teenagers to individuals in their late fifties, indicating a diverse age range within the institution. However, the largest proportion of students fall within the younger age brackets.^[40]

A consistent trend observed across all age groups is the vast predominance of female students, indicative of the overall gender distribution at KABK.^[40]

Sexual misconduct