De Montfort Trustees Step Down Amid Plans To Open Dental Academy In Cinema
Two trustees from De Montfort University have stepped down from the board of the Phoenix Cinema after plans were revealed for a dental academy to open in the iconic building.
The Phoenix, a publicly funded venue, will host the UK’s first private dental school, the Leicester Dental Teaching Academy from September. The school will provide a 5 year dental course at a cost of £176,000.
However, when confidential minutes were leaked from a meeting in November it revealed that two trustees from the university had raised concerns over the “unacceptably high fees” and highlighted the fact that De Montfort University, Warwick University and the University of Leicester had all turned down the invitation to be involved in the project before the programme was accredited by the University of Buckingham.
The trustees also said that the university did not wish to be associated with the dental academy as a result of its involvement with the Phoenix Cinema.
In a statement the trustees said there was a risk that the university and the University of Leicester would gain a negative reputation due to the recruitment of international students for the expensive new dental degree.
The £6 million dental school has been proposed by the University of Buckingham subject to planning approval. However, the council confirmed recently that no planning application had been received.
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