Schumacher College

Schumacher College stands on the Dartington Hall estate in Devon, a place known for its long tradition of arts, education and land-based learning. Founded in 1991 by Satish Kumar and others, it took its name from the economist E. F. Schumacher whose book Small Is Beautiful argued that endless economic growth harms people and the planet. The college’s first course in 1991 welcomed James Lovelock, creator of the Gaia hypothesis, and from the start courses mixed classroom study with practical work in the gardens and kitchen. Its programmes explored ecology, sustainability and ways of living gently on the earth, often taught by leading thinkers such as Brian Goodwin, Stephan Harding and Mae-Wan Ho. In 2019 the college was a finalist in the Green Gown Awards for using food grown by students and volunteers in its own gardens. By 2022 it had become England’s first provider of degrees focused entirely on regenerative farming. After leaving Dartington Hall in 2024, the college’s academic work was suspended but in July 2025 the Satish Kumar Foundation took ownership of its name and intellectual assets. Plans are now under way to find a new home where the college’s community life and courses can continue.