Students at Schumacher College have been informed that their higher education courses are closing, following a decision by Dartington Hall Trust to withdraw financial support for this provision. Dartington Hall Trust is registered with the OfS.
Approximately 100 students are currently enrolled on higher education courses at Schumacher College.
Around half of these students are postgraduate students with final dissertations to submit or with dissertations submitted and awaiting assessment.
The remaining students are split between a BSc in Regenerative Food and Farming and a number of smaller masters’ programmes.
David Smy, Deputy Director of Regulation at the OfS said:
‘We recognise that this is an exceptionally difficult time for students at Schumacher College. We are talking urgently to Dartington Hall Trust to do all we can to ensure that students' interests are protected in this challenging situation.
We have been in discussions with the leadership of Dartington Hall Trust about its financial position since September 2023, and had agreed it would stop recruiting new students and work with its validating university, the University of Plymouth, to pursue an orderly exit, with students being taught out at Schumacher College.
However, Dartington Hall Trust informed us last week that it intended to withdraw funding and so end higher education provision at Schumacher College with immediate effect.
We are grateful to University of Plymouth for meeting its commitments to the students at Schumacher. We are working alongside the university to ensure that Dartington Hall Trust does everything it can to support students to find an acceptable alternative and provide them with appropriate compensation.
If you are a student affected by this news, please contact Dartington for further guidance on immediate next steps. Information for students on their rights in the event of a closure can be found on our website.’
David added:
‘The higher education sector is facing significant financial challenges and institutions are facing difficult decisions. Universities and colleges are responsible for running their businesses and it’s vital that each provider has effective systems in place to identify and manage these risks to ensure students’ interests and rights are protected.
We urge all providers facing difficult financial circumstances to engage with us as early as possible so we can work together to ensure students have access to information and options in good time.’