Eric Ubben studied animation at KASK Ghent under Raoul Servais. After graduation in 1985 he joined Pen Film Studio as an assistant animator/Lay out-man. In 1990 he returned to his Alma Mater as a teaching assistant. In 1999 he was elected Dean of the Ghent Academy (1999-2005). His most prominent achievements during his two term mandate were the critically acclaimed Bijloke Art Campus, the 250th anniversary celebration of KASK, ‘Contemporary Art’ a curatorial post graduate in collaboration with UGent & SMAK and the review of the Interior Design program.
In 2005 he was appointed Dean of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp (2005-2017). During his 12 year tenure he was responsible for the introduction of research, two educational reviews, the Academy’s 350th Anniversary (HBDA) and the establishment of an English undergraduate and graduate program in Visual Arts. In October 2017 he returned to his teaching position as a professor in visual culture.
As a visiting professor he gave lectures at Stuttgart Animation Festival, VGIK Moscow Bidai College of Art, Kanazawa (JP), QCA Brisbane (AUS), St Lukas Brussels, Shenzhen College of Art and Design (China), NIAF Tilburg,…
He was member of the SIVA Shanghai Advisory Board and HISK. In 2005 he was invited for the selection committee of both the Dutch Film Fund and VAF. His field of expertise includes International Affairs, Animation History, Pop Culture, Film History and Time Based Arts. He published articles on Animé, Higher Arts Education and Animation History.