I've posted this elsewhere, and I finally remembered to post it here too.
I'm trying to come up with a world for my adventurer school. With that in mind I should lay down some basics first. The Burrwood Institute was established relatively recently, about six or so years ago in the setting's timeline. It's mission purpose is to educate and train young men and women in the ways to combat evil and danger in all forms, human and non-human. The Burrwood Institute enjoys the full support of it's host government, which draws agents from the academy's alumni. The Burrwood Institute's setting is more modern than most, I'm not sure how modern yet.
In the setting I'd like to build for the school magic is common, powerful PC grade magic is rare. Small talents and knacks easy to find, like a healer who's herbal remedies double or even triple their patients healing rate, a thief who can crack locks by "feeling" inside them and gently tapping at a lock until it opens or blacksmith, who by merely running the tips of his fingers over a weapon, shield, piece of armor or metal object can learn what metal it was made from. He could also learn the quality of the metal, it's condition, if it's been repaired, the force with which it struck, or was struck, and even if it' s magical in nature. That and forging magical weapons, shields and armor with out any sorcerous or wizardly power of his own.
Yes, this setting has witch hunters, but witch hunters (typically) don't hunt witches simply for being witches or other spell casters. Instead witch hunters do so for country, revenge, as murder for hire or because spellslinger just skipped bail and they're the ones with the skill, magic or contacts to take them down. So the academy's head witch/professor of ritual magic and potionry has nothing to fear from witch hunters. Unless someone puts out a hit on her or some foreign power has her in the cross-hairs.