Dartington Trust students shocked as courses postponed

A higher education institution has postponed its masters courses, its students in Devon have said.

Dartington Trust runs Schumacher College and Dartington Arts School in Totnes.

Rhosanna Rigden, a student at Schumacher College, said on Thursday students were informed verbally and by an email the courses were postponed.

The interim CEO for the trust said the "pressing issue" was the "preservation and sustainability of Dartington".

Ms Ridgen said: "We are all already enrolled, the majority of us have made payments of the full course fees and we feel that our courses have begun.

"Many of us have travelled from across the world and have made significant financial commitments such as renting homes, quitting jobs and relocating families in order to attend these courses."

She added that the news had created "insecurity and considerable uncertainty".

Georgina Campbell said she had travelled from Cape Town, South Africa, after saving money and "wrapping up work contracts" to study at Schumacher.

"I think I'm still processing a lot of the initial shock," she said.

"There's a mixture of disbelief but also hope that things are going to turn out okay for us."

Abhishek Sheth, 33, arrived in England 12 days ago to study for an MA in ecological design thinking.

He said: "I even visited Schumacher last year just to be sure this is where I wanted to commit to.

"I have many things back home - my business, my land, my family, my dogs, my home so I wanted to be sure I could put it aside for one year.

"To hear this in the beginning was extremely overwhelming.

"There's a lot of uncertainty which has left us in a precarious situation as international students because we have a very fixed schedule.

"Our visa is very much dependent on us attending this course by this college.

"We're just really hoping the course can begin on Monday."

Interim CEO Robert Fedder said during the summer the Dartington Trust undertook a review of its entire operations.

The trust said this was due to the financial challenges over the past few years including the coronavirus pandemic and the cost of living crisis.

It said the outcome of the review would be to operate Dartington Trust with a more "sustainable approach".

Mr Fedder said: "While the path forward may demand significant transformation - a shift welcomed by some and challenging for others - our commitment remains unyielding.

"Dartington's invaluable contributions to the community cannot be overshadowed by any loss-making ventures."

He added that "while change is inevitable" he was committed to ensuring the trust's success.

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