PRESS RELEASE | Christie’s Proposes Restructure of Education Business to Prioritize Online Learning and Continuing Education
London – Christie’s confirms it has undertaken a review of its wholly-owned Christie’s Education business model, signaling a strategic shift away from traditional higher education provision towards online learning and non-degree continuing education courses. An initial restructuring proposal was announced today to faculty and staff, subject to a mandatory consultation period which is now underway.
Christie’s Education currently comprises three components: higher education, continuing education (short courses, certificate programs, symposia, and conferences) and online courses. In recent years, the continuing and online education components have outpaced the traditional degree programmes in terms of enrollment, growth and global reach, with participants from over 80 countries now engaged through a diverse array of non-degree educational offerings and formats. The proposed restructuring plan discontinues the higher education provision and integrates operation of the continuing education and online courses offerings into the wider Christie’s organization, and positioning them for further growth.
If confirmed, the proposed restructuring will not impact the current intake of master’s students, who will finish their studies as planned during the 2019-2020 academic year.
Stephen Brooks, Deputy CEO, Christie’s International: “Christie’s is committed to inspiring and educating global audiences about the history and value of art and objects through the range of our business activities. The proposed changes to our Education business seek to realize significant growth potential for continuing and online education which have seen much success in recent years. The goal is to adapt our offering to address the long-term developments and future potential in education delivery.”
Christie’s Education currently offers master’s degrees in New York and London. Short courses are offered worldwide and through Christie’s regional offices; online courses are available in English and Mandarin. A final decision on the structure of the overall education program and 2020 program of offerings will be confirmed after completion of the mandatory consultation period.
About Christie’s
Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business. Renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales, Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. It also is the only international auction house authorized to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai).
Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $200 to over $100 million. Christie’s has sold 8 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, including the Paul G. Allen Collection—the most valuable collection ever offered at auction (November 2022). In recent years, Christie’s has achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction (Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, 2017), for a 20th century artwork (Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, 2022) and for a work by a living artist (Jeff Koons’ Rabbit, 2019).
Christie’s Private Sales offers a seamless service for buying and selling art, jewellery and watches outside of the auction calendar, working exclusively with Christie’s specialists at a client’s individual pace.
Recent innovations at Christie’s include the groundbreaking sale of the first NFT for a digital work of art ever offered at a major auction house (Beeple’s Everydays, March 2021), with the unprecedented acceptance of cryptocurrency as a means of payment. As an industry leader in digital innovation, Christie’s also continues to pioneer new technologies that are redefining the business of art, including use of hologram technology to tour life-size 3D objects around the world, and the creation of viewing and bidding experiences that integrate augmented reality, global livestreaming, buy-now channels, and hybrid sales formats.
Christie’s is dedicated to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide, including achieving sustainability by reducing our carbon emissions by 50% and pledging to be net zero by 2030, and actively using its platform in the art world to amplify under-represented voices and support positive change.
Browse, bid, discover, and join us for the best of art and luxury at: www.christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps. The COVID-related re-opening status of our global locations is available here.