A 2,600-strong petition has been launched calling for a sustainable future for Wales’ oldest university, Lampeter, after fears all undergraduate teaching is to end.

The change.org petition, by John Jennings, was started on November 13 and, to date, has gained 2,579 signatures

It says: “The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) has announced a plan to end all undergraduate teaching at its Lampeter campus by September 2025, a decision that would sever nearly 200 years of Lampeter’s role as a centre of higher education and devastate the local community.

“As alumni, students, and supporters, we call upon UWTSD and the Welsh Government to protect Lampeter’s legacy and commit to a sustainable future for this historic campus.”

It adds: “Lampeter is not only Wales’s oldest university institution but a pillar of its educational and cultural history. By allowing undergraduate teaching to end, UWTSD would undermine the very essence of Lampeter’s mission, weaken the local economy, and sever its historic role as a centre of learning. The town of Lampeter, the alumni community, and the people of Wales deserve better.

“We urge UWTSD and the Welsh Government to halt the planned end of undergraduate teaching at Lampeter and instead work with all stakeholders to create a viable, sustainable plan for the campus. This must include a serious investment in new courses, marketing, and student recruitment efforts to ensure Lampeter’s relevance and appeal for future generations.”

The petition has three demands.

It calls for a “deep and transparent consultation,” saying: “UWTSD must engage meaningfully with all stakeholders, including current students, staff, alumni, and the local community, to ensure that any decision regarding the campus’s future is fully informed by those who care most deeply about its heritage and potential.”

It also asks for a “Commitment to Sustainable Solutions,” saying: “Rather than abandoning Lampeter’s undergraduate provision, UWTSD should commit to a strategy that revitalises the campus, leverages the unique academic and cultural appeal that Lampeter has held for nearly two centuries, and makes use of the considerable skills, knowledge, and dedication of its alumni.”

It finishes: “As outlined in UWTSD’s Royal Charter, the university has a constitutional responsibility to maintain ‘a significant physical University presence’ at Lampeter. Closing undergraduate provision would effectively hollow out the campus, eroding its educational mission and violating the university’s own mandate to uphold Lampeter’s historic role within Welsh higher education.”

A spokesperson for UWTSD said: “The university is aware of the petition. We held a very helpful and extensive meeting with our students on Wednesday afternoon in which we listened to a range of opinions and concerns which we will be carefully considering as we develop the initial proposals further.

“We are early in the process and as well as our students we are discussing the best way forward with staff and representatives of other key stakeholders.”