The Dartington Hall Trust can now announce its plans to create a new Schumacher Academy/Educational Centre located at the heart of the Dartington estate and ethos.

The provisionally entitled Schumacher 2 is targeted at leaders and influencers – hosting a number of new Masters courses, a PHD platform and a selection of research-based activities, aimed at educating pioneering individuals and equipping them with the skills to achieve positive and dynamic change in their organisations and communities.

Karen Blincoe the Director of Schumacher said “The new Schumacher Educational Centre will run in parallel with the existing Schumacher College, providing adult education to meet the future challenges of sustainability – embracing topics such as business, leadership, climate change, environment and diversity, peak oil, economics and modern systems of design.”

Peter Reason of the University of Bath said, “Innovation in education is the key to finding solutions to tackle the urgent environmental and social problems that we face. Schumacher and Dartington have the reputation and potential to develop some hugely exciting courses and attract the best students and teachers in the world.”

Schumacher 2 aims to open its doors in 2010 when Dartington College of Arts leaves the estate to go to Falmouth and initial plans locate the new college either within the existing College of Arts buildings, along with the new Dartington Arts Park and additional conferencing facilities – or alongside the existing Schumacher College.

The Schumacher project is currently undergoing a rigorous feasibility process and over the next 2 years The Dartington Hall Trust will be working to raise the £5-6 million needed to renovate existing buildings and get the project up and running – beginning with a capital appeal for funds this autumn.

Vaughan Lindsay Chief Executive of The Dartington Hall Trust said, “Throughout its history Dartington has worked hard to reinvent itself and promote new forms of progressive education and Schumacher 2 has the potential to influence the way we use education to address pressing problems. We are all very excited about the project and what it will mean to Dartington, the region and the wider world.”