Bucks New University axes furniture courses

Buckinghamshire New University is cutting its undergraduate furniture course as part of a review of its course portfolio.

Chair Mark II by Robin Day, who studied furniture design in High Wycombe
Chair Mark II by Robin Day, who studied furniture design in High Wycombe

The University is based in High Wycombe, once famous as the centre of Britain’s furniture industry, and graduates from High Wycombe furniture courses include designers Robin Day and Philip Koomen.

More recent graduates include Anthony Dickens, whose work has been shortlisted for the Design Museum’s Designs of the Year Award; and Frank founders Pam West and Matt Edmonds, who produce designs for Established & Sons and Thorsten Van Elten.

Bucks New University says it is cutting nine courses from the Faculty of Design, Media and Management. These include BA (Hons) Furniture and FDA (Hons) Furniture: Conservation, Restoration and Decorative Arts.

BA (Hons) 3D Contemporary Crafts, BA (Hons) Fine Art and five engineering courses are also being dropped.

However, the university says it is recruiting to a new furniture foundation degree and will continue to teach post-graduate furniture courses.

The National School of Furniture – a partnership between Bucks New University and Rycotewood Furniture Centre – will continue to run, offering links between higher education and the furniture industry.

Bucks New University says the courses are being dropped due to ‘student number trends’ as well as ‘the costs and investment required to deliver the programme’.

The university says, ‘The decision has not been taken lightly. But, by ceasing to recruit to these courses we can refocus efforts on areas which meet the demands of students and employers and on further improvements to our campuses and student experience for the benefit of all.’

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  • Gary Breeze November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    This is a mistake, as is axeing the other courses. This country needs to invest in people who can design and make things. We are still leaders in these fields. The problem is that the givernment don’t invest in these industries. Just for once it would be good if we concentrated on improving demand rather than cutting off the supply. Once those skills are gone they cannot be revived so easily.

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