Academic Profile

Two women are working together at a computer desk with two monitors, one on the desk and one mounted on the wall, in a room decorated with colorful posters on the wall.

Photos by Giorgos Georgoulas

Designing the future of design education, one curriculum, one student, one thesis at a time.

I came to education the way most practitioners do… sideways, and then completely.

After more than fifteen years working inside advertising agencies, digital studios, and creative departments, leading design teams, shaping brand strategies, and solving problems for some of the most recognisable names in the market, I found that the questions I cared most about were not project questions. They were bigger than that. Why do designers struggle to communicate their value? Why do students graduate technically competent but professionally unprepared? Why does so much design education still teach tools rather than thinking?

Those questions pulled me toward teaching. And teaching, it turned out, was where everything I had learned in practice finally made sense as a whole.

I am Chryssa Gagosi, an educator, designer, and researcher based in Athens, Greece. My academic work is rooted in a simple conviction: design education must keep pace with the industry it serves. That means curricula that are practice-led, critically rigorous, and built on empathy for the student's creative journey.

I hold a Master of Arts in Digital Design and a Bachelor of Arts in Photography, disciplines that together inform my approach to visual thinking, user experience, and design strategy.

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Bio

Pathway Leader | BA & MA Digital Design Vakalo Art & Design College · University of Derby (UK)

I designed and structured both the Bachelor's and Master's programmes in Digital Design at Vakalo Art & Design College, validated by the University of Derby (UK). These programmes were built in direct response to the design industry's growing need for professionals who combine artistic sensibility with rigorous creative thinking and digital craft.

Both programmes are currently active and continue to evolve in response to emerging tools, technologies, and professional standards.

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Current academic role

For the past ten years, I have run a one-year intensive Digital Design course designed specifically for professionals looking to transition into or grow within the field of digital design. With over 100 graduates to date, this course has a strong track record of helping participants successfully move into new roles as digital designers, UX practitioners, and creative leads..

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Professional course

A group of people attending a presentation or class in a room with computers, a large screen displaying 'HOLY Company Profile', and posters on the walls.

At the undergraduate level, I teach Introduction to Digital Design with first-year students, and Entrepreneurship & Application Design at the third-year level, helping students move from creative practice into professional readiness.

At the postgraduate level, I teach User Experience Design within the MA programme, guiding students through research methods, interaction design, and the human-centred design process.

I supervise both Bachelor's and Master's theses, supporting students through independent research and the development of original design projects.

Teaching responsibilities

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Alongside my academic work, I co-founded Threefold, a creative studio and workshop platform, and previously, a company operating at the intersection of social media and software development. Both reflect my belief that the boundary between education and practice should be deliberately porous.

Degrees & credentials

  • Master of Arts in Digital Design | University of Derby (UK)

  • Bachelor of Arts in Photography | Middlesex University (UK)

  • Accredited Lecturer, University of Derby

Co-founded ventures