Iapi is proud to announce the Irish recipient of the 2026 Roger Hatchuel Student Academy scholarship.
Polly Buckley, a final year Illustration student at NCAD, is this year’s worthy recipient following a rigorous deliberation process led by a global selection panel of industry experts. Polly was selected from an Irish shortlist of three finalists by a jury in Cannes.
The Roger Hatchuel Student Academy is a 6-day global learning experience at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, designed for students in their last year of education. Since 2003, the Academy has been inspiring the next generation of creative leaders by giving them the tools, knowledge and connections they need to explore different creative avenues and launch their careers in the advertising and creative communications industry. The Academy gives students the opportunity to learn firsthand from the world’s greatest brands, creative minds and industry leaders.
"I was really surprised when I got the call! I first heard about the Roger Hatchuel Student Academy through my college, and with my bachelors graduation on the horizon I really wanted to gather as much industry experience as possible in the early stages of my career. It felt like a bit of a shot in the dark applying. as I had no idea what my chances were, but I knew I had to give it a go. It’s a chance to work with other creatives from around the world.” Polly Buckley.
Polly will attend the academy during the Cannes Lions week which takes place from June 22nd - 26th. She will be travelling with the 7 Cannel Young Lions teams representing Ireland at the Festival.
Watch Polly's winning entry below.
