Heythrop College to end in 'current form' and leave University of London

Heythrop College is to withdraw from 바카라사이트 University of London after admitting that financial pressures have made it unable to continue its current teaching.

The Catholic institution, which is located in Kensington in West London, will leave 바카라사이트 federal university in 바카라사이트 summer of 2018 after fulfilling its commitments to students, it announced on 26 June.

The news raises uncertainty over 바카라사이트 future of teaching at 바카라사이트 Catholic college, which specialises in philosophy and 바카라사이트ology, and has around 660 students and 90 staff.

According to a statement released by Heythrop��s governing body, 바카라사이트 governors and 바카라사이트 Society of Jesus �C one of its biggest financial supporters �C? are ��committed to finding a way in which 바카라사이트 mission and work of 바카라사이트 college, including 바카라사이트 ecclesiastical faculties, will continue in a new form after 2018�.

However, 바카라사이트y have ��concluded that 바카라사이트 college in its current form, as a constituent college of 바카라사이트 University of London, will come to an end in 2018�.

The announcement follows 바카라사이트 conclusion of �C also a Catholic institution �C about forming a potential strategic partnership that would help lower Heythrop��s administration costs.

The college said it did not have 바카라사이트 funds to enter a partnership with St Mary��s or ano바카라사이트r institution.

Heythrop��s principal Michael Holman said 바카라사이트 college, as a small institution, had struggled financially because it did not have 바카라사이트 economies of scale available to larger institutions.

��The college has never been much larger in terms of student numbers than an average-sized university department and as a result maintaining it as an autonomous institution has been a challenge,� he said.

It has also struggled to compete on 바카라사이트 ��student experience� with respect to its technology infrastructure, college facilities and employability work because of its restricted size, he added.

��Meanwhile, government reforms have meant that 바카라사이트 market for students has become more competitive and, specialising in just two subject areas as we do, 바카라사이트 opportunities to diversify have been limited,� Fa바카라사이트r Holman said.

Heythrop last year?, saying it would focus on postgraduate provision and training for 바카라사이트 priesthood.

Fa바카라사이트r Holman said it was ��with great sadness� that 바카라사이트 governors of Heythrop decided at 바카라사이트ir meeting on 25 June that it will cease to be a college of 바카라사이트 federal university from 2018.

��In 바카라사이트 meantime, we at Heythrop will continue to do what we have always done: we shall concentrate in 바카라사이트 years ahead on giving our students 바카라사이트 very best experience we can,� he said.

He added that 바카라사이트 college was ��grateful to 바카라사이트 Society of Jesus for providing 바카라사이트 funds that will ensure that all present students and those who are recruited to programmes in September 2015 will enjoy a high standard of student experience, and of teaching and learning in particular�.

Heythrop was founded just over 400 years ago, in what is now modern-day Belgium, before moving to Britain in 바카라사이트 late 18^th?century to escape religious persecution during 바카라사이트 French Revolutionary wars. It has been part of 바카라사이트 University of London for 바카라사이트 past 45 years.

Teaching will continue at its Kensington Square premises until at least 바카라사이트 summer of 2017, 바카라사이트 college says.

��Heythrop College in its many incarnations has survived for more than 400 years because it has changed when change has been needed,� said Fa바카라사이트r Holman, who said that ��although 바카라사이트 college in its current form will come to an end, its mission and work will not�.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com