Herstmonceux Castle welcomes back students and staff after a two-year closure, reopening with a new academic focus.
Bader College will reopen for classes in 2026, the University announced on Sept. 25 in Queen’s Gazette. The school shut its doors in November of 2023, after structural issues were found at Herstmonceux Castle, sending students home to finish the semester online.
“This fall, the essential repairs to the castle building […] will be completed, and all areas of the castle will be accessible by the end of the year. These restorations include the newly rebuilt gatehouse parapet and repairs to the southwest tower. Additional restoration works will be conducted over the next few years, but they won’t have an impact on operations at Bader College,” the statement read.
READ MORE: Bader College closed, uncertainty remains
The return comes with changes. Bader College will shift from undergraduate-only programming to faculty-led international learning, hosting students from Queen’s and partner institutions, offering research residencies, such as Scholars Retreat and expanding lifelong learning opportunities.
According to the announcement, the Scholars Retreat is meant to be a one to six-month stay at the castle to provide “academics, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students with a dedicated setting for research, writing, and reflection.”
“Alfred and Isabel [who donated Herstmonceux Castle] envisioned the castle as an international study centre, bringing Queen’s students and faculty into dialogue with their peers from around the world, and providing a venue for discussions across cultural and national boundaries,” Lecturer at Bader College Diana Gilchrist said in the Gazette article.
The University also launched the Bader College Academic Programming Development Initiative to support new undergraduate and graduate programs at the castle. The initiative will provide multiple awards of up to $10,000 to fund successful course proposals.
These proposals will be evaluated by the Bader College Academic Programming Committee, which is comprised of the Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning), two Queen’s faculty members, a student representative, a representative from the Bader College leadership team, and a representative from the Centre for Teaching and Learning.
There are also plans to rewild much of the outdoor grounds of the estate, which have been farmed in previous years. The project was initiated several years ago but is now in full development, with more information to come in the upcoming months.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more information.
Tags
Bader college, Herstmonceux Castle, International Research
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.
watermark remover ai
Ah, Bader Colleges return, finally! Good to know the castle repairs are sorted, mostly – the gatehouse parapet looks spick and span now! I do hope the faculty-led international learning translates to fewer awkward dinner conversations and more actual learning. Those Scholars Retreats sound lovely, though I imagine balancing medieval plumbing with postdoctoral research will be an adventure. And the rewilding? Finally! Lets hope the outdoor courses dont involve too many unexpected encounters with, well, *wild things*. Exciting times at Herstmonceux!watermark remover ai
đếm ngược giờ
Oh, the ever-dramatic Bader College return! Reopening after its dramatic closure with a rather dramatic new academic focus – faculty-led international learning, naturally. I love how theyre embracing the castles heritage by discussing cultural boundaries from its lovely, accessible (post-repair) grounds. And who doesnt want to apply for a $10,000 course proposal via the Bader College Academic Programming Committee? A whole committee! Its just the perfect solution for… well, deciding to pivot entirely away from undergrads, I suppose. Cant wait for the rewilding project – hope its less brambles and more Instagrammable vistas! All in all, a castle, a committee, and a charmingly convoluted path forward. #DramaticReopening #CommitteeLifeđếm ngược giờ