Below you will find a list of past short courses at Schumacher College. The College has been offering excellent learning since 1991. However, this list has been compiled since the inception of the new web site and so only contains details of courses starting from the begining of the 2007/08 course programme. Details of courses taking place before this date should be added in due course.
For a list of Short Courses coming soon please click here
May 13-17 2013 | Just the smallest things can change your life …At this beautiful time of year we invite you to come along for a relaxed week where you select what you would like to do. Centre yourself in community, exchange ideas and connections with others at the College, gain a deeper sense of connection with nature, the land and each other and just relax in beautiful surroundings with good company and good food. Read more…
May 7- 10, 2013 | Starhawk | The work of personal, communal, and global transformation has been likened to a journey that we embark on with joy and enthusiasm. But after the first rush of energy wears off, how do we continue as the way begins to seem long and hard? In this four-day workshop, Starhawk will guide you across the stony ground to find renewal and and self-sustaining in your individual path. Read more…
Sunday 28 April – Friday 3 May 2013 | Eve Mitleton-Kelly, Mark Drewell, James Bernard Quilligan, Jonathan Dawson, Stephan Harding, Philip Franses and Claudius van Wyk with online input from Lawrence Bloom| Changing from a reductionist to an holistic worldview will enable the empowering of our organizations to shift from surviving to thriving in a way that is sustainable and life enhancing. Read more…
April 8-14 | This week-long programme allows you to take time from your normal routine and immerse yourself in the rich daily life of community at Schumacher College. It includes a walking field trip, lectures on holism and sustainability and facilitated group work. Satish Kumar will join you for a morning of conversation and a fireside chat in the evening. Read more…
April – November 2013 in association with WildWise and special guests.
Do you aspire to be an outdoor educator but lack the confidence, experience or skills to connect people with the natural world? Read more…
18 – 22 March, 2013 | Stephan Harding, Philip Franses, David Seamon, and Roland Playle | Twenty years ago, Schumacher College started a ground-breaking new masters programme in holistic science. This week, a group of holistic scientists, practitioners and thinkers will come together to explore what this approach might mean and where all of this may be heading. Read more…
11-28 March 2013 | Giles Hutchins, Alan Moore, Ed Mayo, Pat Conaty, Tim Crabtree, Jonathan Dawson and Dirk Rohwedder | This course explores the new trends emerging in the rapidly changing world of enterprise and provides the tools to would-be social entrepreneurs seeking to create their own initiatives. Read more…
11-15 February 2013 | Craig Chalquist and Stephan Harding | This course seeks to explore ways of reengaging with the deep, and sometimes uncanny, sense of place. Together we will explore the relationship we have with the places we inhabit and how, through a deep understanding of our ecology, geography, myth and folklore we can start to reconnect. Read more…
10 February-1 March, 2013 | Vandana Shiva, Satish Kumar, Robert Chambers, Cormac Russel, Eve Annecke and Mark Swilling | There is growing resistance to the one-size-fits-all model of ‘Development’ imposed upon the majority of the world’s citizens which is largely focused on industrialisation. This course explores the emerging mosaic of development paths which challenge our understanding of health and wellbeing and transform the way we think about ‘development’. Read more…
28 Jan to 1 Feb 2013 | Polly Higgins, Isabel Carlisle and Carlos Glover| We are delighted to welcome activist and international lawyer Polly Higgins to the College where she will be working with course participants to design a new community-led process for invoking the Law of Ecocide – crimes against the Earth. Read more…
21 January – 8 February | Rupert Sheldrake, Nora Bateson, David Rothenberg, Stephen Harding and Philip Franses | Today’s emerging science is turning the mechanistic view of science on its head, revealing life as inherently intelligent, purposive and meaningfully communicative. This fascinating series of courses will examine this notion through the work of scholars who are expanding the frontiers of scientific understanding.
The Schumacher Christmas Retreat has regretfully been cancelled due to a very full College over the Chrismas period. Read more…
19-23 November 2012 | Chris Nichols, Geoff Mead, Chris Seeley & Arran Stibbe | The stories that surround the issues of sustainability can be highly contested, political, idealistic or polarising. This workshop will offer creative activities to help you connect with and share what really matters to you about your work in the world. Identifying some of the stories that you want or need to tell in your organisational and working contexts, practising them and getting feedback. Read more…
12-16 November, 2012 | Naomi Kingsley, Chris Cook, Michael Shuman (videolink) and Jonathan Dawson| With the ever present economic uncertainty there has been a wave of economic activity at community level with the creation of new and innovative models for connecting investors with community projects and initiatives. This fascinating course taught by some of the leading figures in the world of community-based finance, will explore new investment platforms and models. Read more…
Two week intensive within a six month online study group: October 2012 to March 2013 | (Residential dates: Sunday 28 October to Friday 9 November 2012 at Schumacher College) | This holistic learning journey for developing an ecoliterate worldview is specifically created to develop individual ecological awareness and practice that participants can apply to their work and personal lives. | Contributors to the residential: Satish Kumar, Stephan Harding, Philip Franses, Julie Richardson, Jon Rae, Jonathan Dawson, Gustavo Esteva (via videolink), David Orr (via videolink), Martin Crawford, Hal Gilmore, Toni Spencer, Mark Burton, and Emily Ryan (Facilitator).
22-26 October, 2012 | Matthew Thomas, Stewart Wallis, Kevin Frediani, Matthew Thomson, Dirk Rohwedder, Tim ‘Mac’ Macartney and Satish Kumar | This course, run in partnership with the Devon School for Social Entrepreneurs, is designed to help you develop the skills needed to inspire, lead and motivate; plus provide valuable inspiration, ideas and practice to help make you a successful green entrepreneur.
October 8-12, 2012 | Jenny Mackewn | This pioneering programme encompasses a focussed training in ecological, organizational and personal constellations and the interconnections between them, which enable the invisible dynamics of seemingly intractable situations to be revealed quickly and effectively, in ways that can be easily integrated into existing leadership, activist, coaching and consultancy practices.
17-21, September 2012 | Andrew Harvey | In this special course, Andrew will share his vision, the inspiration he gained from the great poet Rumi, and the principles and practices he has developed that can help people to connect with their deepest sources of spiritual inspiration and become purposeful and effective sacred activists.
July 15-19 2012 | This week-long programme allows you to take time from your normal routine and immerse yourself in the rich daily life of community at Schumacher College. It includes a walking field trip, lectures on holism and sustainability and facilitated group work. Satish Kumar will join you for conversation on the final day.
15-19 July 2012 | Charles Eisenstein and Toni Spencer | Another way is possible for our economy. Take an illuminating look at the foundation myths of modern society and, in the light of the Occupy movement, consider how we can use new ecological stories to build a more connected and financially independent world Read more…
July 4-6, 2012 | Patrick Magee, Jo Berry & Andrew Woodward | The sense of powerlessness that many people feel in times of struggle, can lead to apathy or explode into violence. This participatory workshop, taught by people who have dealt with conflict and violence, will explore questions of identity, resource mobilisation, organisational structures and the effectiveness of social movements whilst giving you the insights to develop your own personal goals.
25 – 29 June, 2012 | Self-build, Community build, Planning and Building Regulations | Robert Somerville, Chris bird, Doug King-Smith, Linda Lemieux, Simon Fairlie, Simon Cronk, John Fiske, Adam & Erica Dadeby, Paul & Ivanah Barclay, Pam McDonald, Zav Bowden and Jon Hollely | Learn how to work with local communities, tackle the planning and building regulations and be inspired by successful self-build sites.
June 18-22, 2012| Andrea Olsen and Caryn McHose | This course starts from the insight that our bodies are not separate from the earth, but are inherently connected to the natural world: its minerals, air and water are our bones, breath and blood. By engaging with a combination of experiential anatomy and time spent in nature, participants will clarify their perception and deepen their relationship to place.
June 11-15-2012 | Whether you have been before or this is your first time, coming on a Retreat provides an affordable way of enjoying a range of Schumacher activities and facilities. Long summer days, croquet on the lawn, vegetable gardens bursting into life, warm evenings chatting over a drink with friends old and new.
June 11-15, 2012 | Eve Mitleton-Kelly | Successful organisations no longer operate in a “top-down” fashion, and benefit from empowering their employees to work collaboratively. Yet many organisations are stuck in hierarchical ways of operating and lack the tools to develop alternatives. This course provides a sound theoretical and practical grounding for all those interested in generating a more collaborative workplace.
28 May – 1st June, 2012 | Module 6 – Ecological Design | Doug King-Smith, David Gale, Stephan Harding, Philip Frances, Wil Wallis, Robert Somerville, Jonathan Dawson, Ivanah Barclay, Vicki Mortimer, Chris Bird, Kevin Ireland and Linda Lemieux | Learn the fundamentals of permaculture and design, how to appraise sites and their context, how to identify and maximise use of local resources and how to develop and detail your own designs.
May 28 – June 1, 2012 | Margaret Wheatley | Our current challenge—as individuals, citizens and leaders, isn’t the rapid pace of change. It’s uncertainty—not knowing what’s next, what works, or where things are heading. Margaret Wheatley returns to Schumacher College to work with those who are trying to do good work and persevere in the face of unending challenges and uncertainty.
May 21-25, 2012 | John Perkins | We need to understand where we went wrong in order to work out how to do things better. In this course, John Perkins, an insider in the global financial system, describes how predatory capitalism has expanded across the globe, and where the potential is to transform our destructive economic system.
14 – 18 May, 2012 | Robert Somerville, Adam Wiesman and Katie Bryce | Learn from leading experts about the variety of natural plasters and finishes and how to apply them to enhance and complete a building project.
May 14-25, 2012 | Princess Irene van Lippe Biesterfeld, Satish Kumar, Jonathan Horwitz, Stephan Harding| Humans are part of nature, but few people in western society really feel this connection, with the result that the natural world is exploited and abused in ways that would seem incomprehensible to indigenous people who see the earth as their life-giver. This course offers you the opportunity to connect deeply with the natural world using a variety of traditional and transformational practices with some of the worlds preeminent voices.
Friday – April 13-20, 2012 | Colin Tudge, Martin Crawford, Peter Harper, Bethan Stagg and Rebecca Laughton | This course will explore food production in an ecological context. Examining the vital role that ‘human scale’ horticulture and botanical diversity can play, in intensifying production without increasing environmental degradation, climate change or the consumption of finite resource
Two week intensive within a six month online study group: March to September 2012 (Residential dates: Sunday 25 March to 5 April, 2012 at Schumacher College) | This holistic learning journey for developing an ecoliterate worldview is specifically created to develop individual ecological awareness and practice that participants can apply to their work and personal lives. | Contributors to the residential: Satish Kumar, Stephan Harding, Philip Franses, Julie Richardson, Jon Rae, Jonathan Dawson, Gustavo Esteva (via videolink),David Orr (via videolink),Martin Crawford, Terry Irwin (via videolink), Bethan Stagg, Rob Hopkins, Hal Gilmore,Toni Spencer, Mark Burton, and Emily Ryan (Facilitator).
A new online certificate-level programme from 14th March 2012 to Wednesday 4th July 2012 | This pilot course brings together elements of the College’s highly regarded postgraduate courses in Holistic Science and Economics for Transition and will allow you to explore these issues within a deeply transformative educational experience.
March 5-23, 2012 | Jenny Mackewn, Toni Spencer, Jean-Claude Audergon, Tim “Mac” Macartney, Bob Johansen, Barefoot Partnership, Nowhere and Encounters | The emerging field of ecological facilitation and leadership looks to healthy, dynamic ecosystems for guidance in approaching change. This highly experiential and practical course from some of the leading voices in Ecological Facilitation will help you develop your theoretical and practical skills in group process, leadership and change
February 13 – March 2, 2012 | Jean Boulton, Chris Clarke, Shantena Sabbadini, Amit Goswami and Nora Bateson | Within the mechanistic Newtonian world view, questions surrounding consciousness and spirituality seem unanswerable or meaningless, but new scientific insights, particularly in quantum physics and complexity science, are leading to a very different understanding of how the world works, which shares many common themes with the paradoxes of ancient wisdom and philosophy.
January 23 – February 10, 2012|Teachers: Mary Mellor, Tony Greenham, David Wheeler, Yasmin Crowther, Nigel Topping, Ed Mayo, Pat Conaty & Tim Crabtree | This series of courses brings together some of the key voices in economics today to explore what went wrong and what kind of alternative financial models would provide stability and genuine prosperity in the 21st Century.
January 3 – 13, 2012 | Naresh Giangrande, Rob Hopkins, Sophy Banks and Jonathan Dawson | The Transition movement has inspired effective action in hundreds of communities across the world. This two week course, taught by pioneers and leaders of the Transition movement looks at what it is about Transition that has created such widespread engagement around changing how we live.
12-16 December, 2011 | Escape from shopping and sales, piped music, exhortations to buy more – and slow down, reflect, and enjoy the simple winter pleasures of baking, craft and conviviality.
4-7 December, 2012|Chris Seeley & Chris Nichols| Developing Artful organisations isn’t just about how we convey ideas. It’s about how we imagine and view organisations in a sustainable future.
Sunday, November 27 – December 2, 2011|David Key & Mary-Jayne Rust| If we are to survive, we must align who we think we are with the ecological reality of what we are: our psychology must fit our ecology. To achieve this, we need a revolution in our sense of self, and in how we relate to planet earth – our home.
14-25 November, 2011| Kate Hewett, Julie Richardson, Dirk Rohwedder, Duncan Passmore, Maddy Harland, William Lana, Nigel Lowthrop, Guy Watson, Colin Crooks and Tim Macartney. | Schumacher College is partnering with the Devon School for Social Entrepreneurs to help participants develop the skills needed to inspire, lead and motivate; plus provide valuable inspiration, ideas and practice to help make a successful green entrepreneur.
November 7-11, 2011 | Jenny Mackewn | This unique new training programme in Ecological Constellations will encompass focussed training in both Ecological and Organisational Constellations, which enable the invisible dynamics of seemingly intractable situations to be revealed quickly and effectively, in ways that can be easily integrated into existing leadership, activist, coaching and consultancy practices.
Two week intensive within a six month online study group: October 2011 to April 2012 (Residential dates: 23 October – 4 November 2011 at Schumacher College) | This holistic learning journey for developing an ecoliterate worldview is specifically created to develop individual ecological awareness and practice that participants can apply to their work and personal lives. | Contributors to the residential: Satish Kumar, Stephan Harding, David Orr, Toni Spencer, Julie Richardson, Mark Burton, Rob Hopkins, Martin Crawford, Bethan Stagg, Jonathan Dawson, Terry Irwin (via videolink), Gustavo Esteva (via videolink), Philip Franses, Anne Miller and Emily Ryan (Facilitator)
Oct 10-14, 2011 | Phil Chandler, Brigit Strawbridge, Juergen Tautz and Graham White | Bees and the colonies they organize are some of the most complex and fascinating life forms on earth. Understanding them helps us better appreciate the interdependence of all ecosystems and our role as humans within them.
October 3-7, 2011 | Bill McKibben | In the last few years, author Bill McKibben has devoted his time to the founding and development of 350.org, an impressive international campaign that’s building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis. During this course, Bill will step back from his activist life to reflect on what makes for successful social organising.
September 26 – 30, 2011 | Beat the Autumn blues by coming to the College to give yourself the space and time to make the connections with yourself and the world around you which are so vital to leading a fulfilling life
18-22 September, 2011 | Teacher: Bruce Lipton | Rich in detail, yet accessible to the layperson, Bruce’s multi-media presentation offers new awareness that can facilitate our evolution from passive victims to responsible co-creators, while offering the opportunity to heal ourselves and the planet.
September 13-16, 2011, Julia Ponsonby, Wayne Schroeder, and Dave Hamilton. Join award winning cookery author Julia Ponsonby, College catering manager Wayne Schroeder, and self-sufficiency expert Dave Hamilton to learn how to transform Nature’s abundance into delicious and inspirational meals. Taste new recipes from the next Gaia cookbook, learn new techniques for making food look and taste great and meet other food lovers from near and far.
9 – 11 September, 2011 | Tim Malnick | Far from needing to run away to a monastery or a cave, some spiritual traditions emphasise the value and potential of turning fully towards the chaos, challenge and emotionality of our work as a basis for self discovery and for benefitting others and the world at large.
July 11 – 15, 2011 | Teachers: Ann Pettifor, Hazel Henderson (by videolink), Tessa Tennant, Nathalie Buschor, Mark Burton, Julie Richardson | Is there really no credible alternative to the existing financial system? This course brings together people who believe that we can find ways to make money serve the interests of communities and ecosystems
July 17 – 21, 2011 | David Key & Mary-Jayne Rust | Through a series of carefully facilitated outdoor experiences and small group work, we will facilitate an experience of the ecological Self.
11 – 15 July 2011 | Bethan Stagg, Charles Dowding, Nicky Scott with contributions from other resident Schumacher faculty | Soil is the foundation for all terrestrial life. As any good gardener knows, a healthy soil is the key to flourishing plants and sustainable food production. This course will explore the secrets of soil from a variety of perspectives: scientific, practical, experiential and philosophical
July 4 – 9, 2011 | Teachers: Satish Kumar, Stephan Harding and Alastair McIntosh | Our popular Earth Pilgrim course returns to our summer programme. The course centres around the experiences and reflections of Satish Kumar, who has undertaken many pilgrimages throughout his life, beginning with an 8,000-mile peace pilgrimage from India to America.
June 27 – July 2, 2011 | David W. Orr, Stephan Mayer & Rob Hopkins | We begin with the forces driving change and the failure of societies virtually everywhere to do what future generations will regard as merely obvious, and end with possible paths aimed at reconciling the differences between human and environmental systems.
Bio-Inspired Design PART 2 | June 20 – 24, 2011 | Teachers: Michael Pawlyn, Robert Somerville and Toni Spencer | What should our built environment be like if it is to be genuinely sustainable? This course invites participants to find out more about exciting new and traditional approaches to building and to reflect on their own understanding of what makes for sustainable architecture. Participants will also be involved in developing outline designs for enterprise incubator units which will embody the best of green thinking in architecture.
Bio-Inspired Design PART 1 | June 13 – 17, 2011 | Tom McKeag | Participants will be presented with a fresh lens for looking at the natural world. They will be offer examples of successful applications of biomimetic innovation from a surprising range of professions.
June 6-10, 2011 | Eve Mitleton-Kelly | During this course participants will learn some key principles of complexity theory and explore how they can be applied in organisations. Through this work participants will address how to build sustainability on different scales, from workplace and community settings to global issues.
May 23 – 27, 2011 | Johannes Jaeger, Patricia Shaw, Stephan Harding, Phil Franses, Julie Richardson & Stuart Kauffman (by videolink) | This course brings together Brian’s students, friends and collaborators to discuss the influence his thinking has had in the sciences, social sciences and the wider world of those working for a more humane and sustainable society.
16 – 20 May, 2011 | Iain McGilchrist | This course is based on Iain McGilchrist’s book “The Master and His Emissary” which was published last year and immediately attracted widespread acclaim and interest.
May 9 – 13, 2011 | Teachers: Vandana Shiva, Mark Tully, Krishna Dutta, William Radice, Satish Kumar | This course will explore the ideas and experiences of those early years and reflect on their relevance today, in a time when it is more vital than ever that we learn to live harmoniously with nature and each other.
March 28 – April 8, 2011 | Fritjof Capra (by videolink), Satish Kumar, Gustavo Esteva (by videolink), Stephan Harding, Philip Franses, Julie Richardson, Mark Burton, Jon Rae, Terry Irwin (by videolink), Antonia Spencer, Bethan Stagg, Hal Gilmore, Anne Miller, Emily Ryan (course facilitator) | Through this course, those new to Schumacher College can gain a foundation in the central themes of the College and Schumacher alumni have the opportunity to reconnect with holistic thinking in a new context.
March 7th – 25th, 2011 | one, two or three-week course | Dave Key, Mary-Jayne Rust, Jerome Bernstein (via video-link), Jules Cashford, Alida Gersie, and Sophy Banks | Ecopsychology has a fundamentally important role to play in responding to current social and ecological challenges. This three-week course explores the many layers of this role. From denial to inspiration for action, our motivations are governed by our emotional responses and what we believe about our place in the web of life.
27 February – 5 March, 2011 | Jenny Mackewn and Toni Spencer | Whether you are an experienced facilitator seeking a fresh approach or improved ecological awareness, or new to this field but wanting skills to lead and facilitate change in others – this course brings together the radical thinking that will enable you to be part of leading this transition.
February 14 – 18, 2011 | Bunker Roy and Aruna Roy | This week focuses on two examples from India of a radically different approach to ‘development’: the Right to Information campaign and Barefoot Colleges.
February 7 – 11, 2011 | Allan Kaplan | Through a series of experiential and reflective encounters dealing with self, nature, social development phenomena and contemplative process, the course will attempt to generate an understanding of development practice that recognises the practitioner’s person as crucial.
A series of three, one-week courses | Ian Christie, Robert Chambers, Allan Kaplan, Bunker Roy, Aruna Roy | The weeks can be booked individually, or as a whole. | These courses will explore the changing face of development – from the broader global context, to the impact of the individual, through to grassroots community activism and empowerment.
January 15 – 21, 2011 | Gunter Pauli | How can a systemic view of the world transform the material and social world through a new model of business and enterprise? Gunter Pauli has spent the last five years developing a model called The Blue Economy. Participants will explore ideas within this model and how they relate to their own initiatives.
January 10 – 14, 2011 | Jean Boulton, Peter Senge (by videolink), Alex Haxeltine, | This week explores complexity in-depth, particularly in relation to the behaviour of individuals, organisations and communities.
one, two or three-week course | Hardin Tibbs, Philip Franses, Jean Boulton, Peter Senge (by videolink), Alex Haxeltine, Gunter Pauli | January 4 – 21, 2011 | Consider any of the problems or challenges facing our modern world and it will quickly become apparent that they are part of a whole complex system which we ignore at our peril. This course provides an introduction to systems thinking and its application to sustainability, ecodesign, organisational and social change, industry, business and enterprise.
December 13-16, 2010 | Tchenka Sunderland, Lindsay Clarke & Chris Salisbury | At this, the darkest time of the year, it seems appropriate to seek the redemption of the Dark. Building on last year’s course, Darkness and Transformation, this course will enable participants to reflect on how we can renew our relationship with the creative mysteries of darkness and come to understand and appreciate its powers and gifts.
22 – 26 November 2010 | Andy Middleton, Belina Raffy, Denise DeLuca | On this programme, 20 people from business and change organisations will work collaboratively on developing a template for change that they can take back to their organisations to catalyse transformational thought, innovation and action.
November 8 – 12, 2010 | Ellen MacArthur (by video-link), Ken Webster, Steve Martin | How do we educate for sustainability? What new skills and ways of thinking can help young people and the institutions that work with them prepare for a challenging – and unpredictable – future? What qualities of leadership can inspire a new generation of engaged citizens?
October 25 – November 5, 2010 | One or two-week course | Fritjof Capra (by videolink), Gustavo Esteva (by videolink), Stephan Harding, Philip Franses, Julie Richardson, Mark Burton, Satish Kumar, Jon Rae, Terry Irwin (by videolink), Toni Spencer, Bethan Stagg, Anne Miller, Emily Ryan (course facilitator) | Changing the way we live and work on the planet is vital, and to do that we need a whole new set of skills to enable us to act effectively – and urgently. Understanding Ecoliteracy will help students to appreciate and act with a greater ecological awareness in both local and global situations.
11 – 15 October 2010 | Erin Smith, Simon Mills | Today many of us have forgotten how vital interaction with the natural world is to our wellbeing. This experiential course will explore how cultivating our relationship to plants can improve our physical and emotional health on many different levels.
October 4 – 8, 2010 | Tim Jackson, Ed Mayo, Julie Richardson | Unless we can radically lower the environmental impact of our economic activity – and there is no evidence to suggest that we can – we will have to devise a path to prosperity that does not rely on continued growth.
27 September – 1 October, 2010 | Alastair McIntosh, Sulemana Abudulai, Tom Forsyth | This course will address important and complex challenges in combining land, human and Earth rights, as well as the fun and inspirational ways communities can live, work and learn together. It will help you in taking the next step in your relationship with the land, and within the rich community of Earth as a whole.
20 – 24 September, 2010 | Kate Davies, Jonathan Robinson | How can we create sustainable human systems – social, organizational, political and economic? What methods and processes help generate innovative social change? What are the skills of successful change agents?
September 13 – 17, 2010 | Edward Espe Brown, Carolyn Steel | This course steps back from asking what to eat and how to cook it and reflects on our relationship to food as a whole, and what it can tell us about how we relate to the natural world and our inner world.
19, 20, 21 July | We are offering a series of Taster Days alongside our Practical Skills for Sustainable Local Food course so that it’s possible for you to come and learn some new skills while sampling what Schumacher has to offer in an affordable and accessible way.
July 18 – 22, 2010 | Practical skills for sustainable local food – A short course | Dyane Osborne, Martin Crawford, Rhamis Kent, Nick Gooderham | The course provides the opportunity to learn a range of garden-related skills as well as hearing from practitioners at the cutting edge of sustainable and community-based food production activities.
June 21 – July 2, 2010 | One or two-week course | Sean Kelly, Rupert Sheldrake and Stephan Harding | This course will explore the scientific basis of Gaia theory and its implications for human consciousness. How does the fact that we can think of our planet as being a living entity in its own right affect our relationship to the natural world?
11 – 18 June, 2010 | Friday – Friday Course | Satish Kumar, Chris Lloyd and others | By popular demand, our Earth Pilgrim course is being both lengthened and deepened to enable participants to have more time to explore and experience a deep connection with the land. As well as days walking on Dartmoor, spending time in sacred sites and hidden beauty spots, there will also be visits to the South Devon coast and the varied and fascinating landscapes on the Dartington estate itself.
31 May – 4 June 2010 | Richard Louv, Kathy Louv, Jan van Boeckel | This course looks at why nature is important for children’s development and creativity, and how the “nature gap” can be bridged. It includes outdoor arts-based workshops and experiential exercises which can be used in many environmental education contexts.
May 17 – 28, 2010 | A two-week course | Fritjof Capra, Peter Adams | At the root of the major problems of our time lies a crisis of perception: basing our understanding of the world on reductionist science. The experience and understanding of human creativity — in art, design, and in the realm of ideas — will be a major focus of the course. With Iain McGilchrist as Guest Lecturer
May 10 – 14, 2010 | One-week course | Margaret Wheatley | Leadership has never been as difficult and perplexing as it is today. This course is an inquiry into how we, as leaders, can understand the deep and conflicting dynamics of our role and make choices about who we choose to be for this a historic and deeply troubled time.
April 6-10, 2010 | One-week course | Jenny Mackewn and Toni Spencer | This practical skills based course will engage with questions of how to facilitate groups engaged in the challenges of creating a sustainable future. Key themes to be explored are: working with uncertainty, relational practice, creativity, and facilitation as leadership.
One or two week course | Teachers in person and via video link include: Fritjof Capra, Stephan Harding, Philip Franses, Satish Kumar, Anne Miller, Oliver Greenfield | Transforming the way we live on the planet is vital, and to do that we need a whole new set of skills that enable us to act effectively in a complex world. This course brings together the key components of our established courses to offer a solid foundation to those wanting to make a real difference in their lives and work.
December 1 – 4 2009 | Tchenka Sunderland and Jules Cashford | We live in a culture that, in a desire to understand and control chaotic Nature, has deified the Light at the expense of the Dark. The light of reason has banished the dark of superstition; the light of electricity has blotted out the dark of the night sky. The consequences are becoming clear for all to see and at this darkest time of the year, it seems appropriate to seek ways of redressing the balance.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place in Denmark in December of this year (abbreviated to COP15) is viewed by many as a landmark in human history, whatever the outcomes.
One week course | Satish Kumar, Stephan Harding, Christopher Lloyd. On Dartmoor, participants will visit landscapes pictured in the documentary – woods, rivers, tors, stone circles, and the open moor – walking together, talking and sitting quietly. There will also be talks about Gaia theory, deep ecology, sustainability and natural history. read more…
A one, two or three week course | Gunter Pauli, Don Beck, Rob Hopkins, John Wood | A systemic approach is vital if we are to tackle successfully the complex problems facing society and the environment today, from community responses to climate change and social enterprise, to conflict resolution and social development on a global scale. read more…
February 23 – 27, 2009 | Kate Davies| Education can play a critical role in helping to transform our society. A key question for educators is: How can we prepare learners to lead the changes that are necessary to achieve social and ecological sustainability? read more…
Book now for week 3 of this course | Manfred Max-Neef, David Boyle, Colin Hines, Ralf Becker, Wolfgang Sachs | Problems with the global economy are presented in the mainstream media as those that can be managed within existing systems. There is a need for a transformation of economics if human society is to survive and prosper. read more…
A one, two or three week course | David Peat, Amit Goswami, Peter Fenwick, Chris Clarke | The nature of consciousness has fascinated philosophers and scientists for centuries. Today, different fields of science are generating discoveries and insights which lead practitioners to expand existing theories of what consciousness is and what it can do. read more…
Two Week Course | Chris Nichols, Cath Muller, Indra DonFrancesco, Jonathan Robinson, Guy Watson, Tim ‘Mac’ Macartney, Julie Richardson, Karen Blinco and Toni Spencer | At this time of great change, how do we create organisations and businesses that engage with sustainability and ethics? This is a unique opportunity to explore these questions and develop your business plan or strategy. read more…
November 17 – 21, 2008 | Andrew Whitley, Carlo Petrini | The Slow Food movement has gone from campaigning for quality food, to demanding food that as well as tasting good, is produced in environmentally and socially responsible ways. read more…
November 3 – 7, 2008 | Jack Miller | More and more people are focusing on holistic principles of education as a way of expanding educational experience and attention to the whole person. The challenge is to be creative and responsive to the individuality of students, and work with them to develop a curriculum that is relevant to their needs. read more…
October 27 – 31, 2008 | Allan Jones, Gaynor Coley, Nick Robins, Paul Dickinson | What models are there of organisations making serious progress towards sustainability and what can be learned from them? read more…
October 20 – 24, 2008 | Michael Pawlyn, Julian Vincent, Neil Thomas, Graham Dodd, Andy Middleton | Proponents of biomimicry contend that many of the solutions required during the sustainability revolution are to be found in nature: super-efficient structures, self-cleaning surfaces, zero-waste systems and low-energy ways of creating fresh water. read more…
October 14 – 17, 2008| Richard Olivier | Those on this participatory three day Mythodrama workshop will benefit from a unique form of experiential learning that combines theatre practice, psychology and philosophy with organisational development. read more…
September 22 – 26, 2008 | Cormac Cullinan, Mellese Damtie, Ng’ang’a Thiong’o, Ian Mason | The dominant western industrial legal system is founded on promoting or protecting human interests. There is an expanding debate and practice around assigning rights to the planet and all species. What are the characteristics of a governance system established to protect the rights of all members of a particular ecological community? read more…
September 15-19, 2008 | With Satish Kumar, on Dartmoor, participants will visit landscapes pictured in the documentary – woods, rivers, tors, stone circles, and the open moor – walking together, talking and sitting quietly. There will also be talks from resident College staff about Gaia theory, deep ecology and sustainability.
One or Two Week Course | New teacher line-up – Starhawk to teach | Mary Evelyn Tucker, John Grim, Starhawk. Participants will discuss visions of the world and how to deal with global crisis through Sacred Activism, sustainable wellbeing, environmental ethics and religion.read more…
One or Two Week Course | Arthur Zajonc, Rupert Sheldrake | The practice of modern science has for centuries been divorced from values other than that of “objectivity” and this has done much to alienate us from our direct, intuitive experience of nature. This approach is now being challenged. read more…
One or Two Week Course (Various start dates) | Nature in all its beauty and complexity has been an integral part of art from the first images and artefacts ever created by humans. Recent years have seen a resurgence of its importance for artists, not just as inspiration but as the actual medium within which they work. read more…
One or Two Week Course (Various start dates) | The industrialised world is rapidly realising the importance of nature as a provider of essential but limited resources including water, soil, and air. But its value for human wellbeing in the broader sense is only beginning to be fully understood. read more…
One Week Course | Today, organisations of all types struggle with issues such as leadership, motivation, accountability, and organisational and cultural change. Much money and dedicated staff time have been applied to these issues. However, these areas of development continue to be problematic. read more…
One Week Course | Bookshops and magazines are full of tips on how to live in a more environmentally friendly way and reduce your carbon footprint. This course will take this further, helping participants engage with these practical in-depth issues through understanding and applying solutions to their everyday lives. read more…
One, Two or Three Week Course (Various start dates) | The world has had over half a century of “development” and now has more people living in poverty, more inequality and more ecosystem destruction than it did before the process began. What went wrong? read more…
One Week Course | Educational institutions are starting to interact more with the communities they exist in, moving away from their “ivory tower” image. This process can be beneficial for all involved, bringing fresh perspectives into academia and new energy and expertise into the community. read more…
One, Two or Three Week Course (Various start dates) | Design has the potential to create solutions to many of the global problems confronting us in the 21st century. It relates not just to products but to social systems, so environmental, ethical and social concerns need to be placed at the heart of the design process. read more…
One or Two Week Course (Various start dates) | It has become increasingly apparent that capitalism is environmentally and socially unsustainable. However, the world has yet to find a convincing large-scale alternative economic system. read more…
One Week Course | We are living in a period of history characterised by radical change. Some habitual life patterns that we have inherited from the past have now become dysfunctional. We are being driven, by necessity, to devise new ways of living in order to survive in a manner that gives us a sustainable quality of life. read more…
One Week Course | Universities can play a major role in changing students’ and the wider society’s relationship with food. Large institutions account for about 40% of all food bought, and thus a move towards local procurement can have dramatic effects on the regional food economy. read more…
Four Day Course | Some parts of the business world have actively responded to the challenges of climate change, often in advance of government policy. read more…
Reducing carbon emissions from food production is a global problem. Nine per-cent of UK carbon emissions come from agriculture and another nine per-cent from the processing and distribution of food. read more…
With the subject constantly in the media and discussed in the corridors of power, future generations may say that this is the year when the world finally woke up to climate change. read more…
Dongtan in China is being designed to be as near to 100% carbon-neutral as possible. The teachers on this course are all closely involved with the project. Using the example of Dongtan, this course will help participants explore a range of technologies and strategies for application in new developments and housing projects. read more…
Much of today’s environmental thinking is based upon a predominantly scientific analysis of complex planetary problems. This course will explore the sacred, religious and spiritual dimensions of environmentalism to develop a vision where the care of the earth plays a central role. read more…
