University of South Wales

Not to be confused with University of New South Wales.
University of South Wales
Prifysgol De Cymru
Former names
 University of Glamorgan, University of Wales, Newport
Type Public
Established 11 April 2013 (origins 1841)
Chancellor Rowan Williams[1]
Vice-Chancellor Julie Lydon
Administrative staff
 3,234 [2]
Students 27,710 (2014/15)[3]
Undergraduates 22,795 (2014/15)[3]
Postgraduates 4,920 (2014/15)[3]
Location Wales
Campus Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd
Affiliations University Alliance
Website southwales.ac.uk

The University of South Wales (Welsh: Prifysgol De Cymru) is a university in Wales, with campuses in Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd. It was formed on 11 April 2013 from the merger of the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport.[4]

History

The university can trace its roots to the founding of the Newport Mechanics' Institute in 1841. The Newport Mechanics' Institute later become the University of Wales, Newport. In 1913 the South Wales and Monmouthshire School of Mines was formed.[5] The school of mines was later to become the Polytechnic of Wales, before gaining the status of University of Glamorgan in 1992. The name for the new merged university was chosen following a research exercise amongst interested parties and announced in December 2012 by the prospective vice-chancellor of the university, Julie Lydon.[6]

Notable dates

Student numbers

At formation it was reported that the university had more than 33,500 students from 122 countries and was then the sixth largest in the United Kingdom and the largest in Wales.[7][8][9] However the Office of the Independent Adjudicator stated that, in 2013, the number of students was 29,875 [10] The Higher Education Statistics Agency reported student total numbers of 27,710 for the 2014/15 academic year. This means that the University is the 12th largest in the UK and the 2nd largest in Wales, after Cardiff University, when measured by the number of enrolled students.

University 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15
Glamorgan 22,71020,900Decrease21,070Increase20,210Decrease21,190Increase20,345Decrease n/a n/a
Newport 9,120 9,065Decrease 9,290Increase 10,040Increase 9,990Decrease 9,780Decrease n/a n/a
South Wales 31,830 29,965Decrease 30,360 Increase 30,250Decrease 31,180Increase 30,125Decrease 29,195Decrease 27,710Decrease

Source:- The Higher Education Statistics Agency [11]

Organisation

Associated organisations

The university is part of the University of South Wales Group comprising the university, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and the Merthyr Tydfil College.

The university has a band of 106 partner colleges, universities, FE institutions or organisations, who deliver University of South Wales's higher education programmes or access courses in the UK and 18 other countries.[12]

Faculties

The university has four faculties [13] spread over its campuses in South East Wales.

Faculty of Business and Society

Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science

Faculty of Creative Industries

Faculty of Life Sciences and Education

The university has a film school, animation facilities, broadcasting studios, a photography school, a reputation for theatre design, poets, scriptwriters and authors as well as the national music and drama conservatoire, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, as a wholly owned subsidiary. It offers a range of qualifications from further education to degrees to PhD study. As a Post 92 University it delivers a range of STEM subjects.

In June 2013 the fine art course at Newport was closed, with the final degree show being entitled "depARTure". A tutor, Kathryn Ashill, said that the students had a "responsibility of going out with a bang".[14]

Campuses

The university has three main campuses located across South Wales:

Cardiff

The Faculty of Creative Industries is based at the Cardiff Campus, along with a smaller number of courses from the Faculty of Business and Society. The Atrium Building is the main building at the campus, originally opened by the University of Glamorgan in 2007 the building recently extended and re-opening during September 2016. The campus also includes the Atlantic House building.

Newport

The university's newest campus. The £35 million campus on the west bank of the River Usk in Newport city centre was opened in 2011, by the University of Wales, Newport. It hosts a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including teaching, business, social work and youth work. The National Cyber Security Academy is based at the Newport campus.

Pontypridd (Treforest and Glyntaff Campuses)

This was formerly the main campus of the University of Glamorgan. Currently the university's largest campus, with a range of facilities, including an indoor sports centre and students' union. The campus is located in three parts:-

1) Treforest – Which hosts a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses notable in engineering and related subjects.

2) Glyntaff – Where nursing, science and sport courses are based.

3) Tyn y Wern – The location of the University of South Wales' sport park.

Former campuses

Caerleon

Caerleon is located on the northern outskirts of Newport. Formally the second largest campus, it hosted a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including education, sports, history, fashon design, art and photography. The campus had extensive sports facilities, library, students' union shop and a students' union bar. It was formerly the main campus of the University of Wales, Newport. In 2014, it was announced by the University of South Wales that the Caerleon campus would close in 2016[15] with courses being integrated into the remaining campuses. The campus opened during 1914 and closed for the last time on the 31st July 2016, after 102 years. The University is proposing to sell the campus for housing development but there is strong opposition to the planned re-development from local residents.[16] The Caerleon Civic Society has asked Cadw, the body that looks after historic monuments and buildings in Wales, to give the Edwardian main building Grade II Listed building status to save it from demolition.[17] On the 7 August 2016 the Welsh government announced that they would recommend that the main building, gatehouses and gate-piers as ‘buildings of special architectural and historic interest’. The University of South Wales expressed their continued opposition to the proposed listing but the announcement was welcomed by local politicians and the Caerleon Civic Society. [18]

London

In 2014, USW spent an estimated £300,000 developing a campus in the Docklands area of London, but in January 2015 cancelled the project before taking on any students. The university described this as a test of the market, but blamed problems created by new UK visa regulations.[19]

Academic profile

Awards

The University of Wales, Newport received the 2013 Guardian Higher Education Award (with the University of Glamorgan) for widening participation through its Universities Heads of the Valleys Institute (UHOVI) initiative.[20][21] The University of Glamorgan was recognised for providing outstanding student support, winning the 2012 Times Higher Award for Outstanding Support to Students.[22]

The vice-chancellor of the university, Julie Lydon, was appointed an OBE for services to higher education in Wales in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours.[23]

Rankings

Rankings
Complete[24]
(2017, national)		 =99
The Guardian[25]
(2017, national)		 111
Times/Sunday Times[26]
(2017, national)		 =112

The Complete University Guide 2016 ranked the university as 99 out of 127 UK universities.[27] The university came 8th in the UK at the WhatUni? Student Choice Awards 2016.[28]

National Cyber Security Academy

In 2016, the university launched its National Cyber Security Academy. This academy is a joint venture with industrial partners and Welsh Government and has been recognised by the UK's national security organisation GCHQ. [29]

Research

The university is one of Wales’s five major universities and a member of the St David's Day Group.[30] Its precursor institutions have been recognised for producing some world-leading and internationally excellent research in specialist areas, such as mechanical, aeronautical & manufacturing engineering, social work, social policy & administration, education, history, art and design,[31] nursing and midwifery, architecture and the built environment, English language and literature, communication, cultural & media studies, sports-related studies.[32]

The university offers independent advice to government and employers across the UK on health, education, economic growth, social policy and governance. It has provided a partnership platform for think-tanks such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation [33] and NESTA to develop debate on public policy reform in the UK.

Student life

Student Union

University of South Wales Students' Union is the students' union of the university. It exists to support and represent the students of the university. It is a member-led organisation and all students are automatically members.[34]

Accommodation

Pontypridd has halls of residence and facilities on its Treforest campus. Students studying at the university's Cardiff campus have access to private halls of residence, which are shared with the city's other universities. The Newport City building has nearby private student halls of residence.

Notable alumni

Artists and photographers

Authors and creative writers

Film

Healthcare professionals

Media personalities and performers

Musicians

Politicians

Scientists

Sports people

References

  1. ↑ "Rowan Williams named as University of South Wales chancellor". ITV.com. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Freedom of Information request". whatdotheyknow.com. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 "2014/15 Students by HE provider, level, mode and domicile" (XLSX). Higher Education Statistics Agency. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "University merger 11 April 2013". Southwalesargus.co.uk. 2013-03-21. Retrieved 2013-04-10.
  5. ↑ The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, Menna Baines and Peredur Lynch (2008) pg896 ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6
  6. ↑ "Preferred Name Announced For New University (press release)". Newport.ac.uk. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-10.
  7. ↑ "University of South Wales opens for 33,500 students". The BBC. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "University guide 2014: University of South Wales". The Guardian. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  9. ↑ USW Annual Review 2013
  10. ↑ "Office of the Independent Adjudicator" (PDF). Independent Adjudicator. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  11. ↑ https://www.hesa.ac.uk/content/view/1973/239/
  12. ↑ "Collaborative Registers". A check of the listed documents on the university site yielded total number of partner colleges and their countries. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  13. ↑ http://www.southwales.ac.uk/about/faculties-and-schools/
  14. ↑ Dalton, Gordon (11 June 2013). "Newport state of mind: last ever degree show as BA Fine Art course closes". Art News. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  15. ↑ "Campus Changes". University of South Wales Campus Changes. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  16. ↑ "Campus Changes". Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  17. ↑ "Open Letter". Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  18. ↑ "Lifeline for part of Caerleon Campus after minister says building should be listed". Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  19. ↑ "USW London campus shut down before taking on any students". South Wales Argus. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  20. ↑ "Universities Heads of the Valleys Institute (UHOVI)". Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  21. ↑ Tickle, Louise (28 February 2013). "Commitment to widening participation winner: University of Wales, Newport with the University of Glamorgan". theguardian.com. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  22. ↑ "Glamorgan wins national award for outstanding student support, News Centre". glam.ac.uk.
  23. ↑ Rupert Denholm-Hall (13 June 2014). "Business leaders across Wales recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours". walesonline. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  24. ↑ "University League Table 2017". The Complete University Guide. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  25. ↑ "University league tables 2017". The Guardian. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  26. ↑ "The Times and Sunday Times University Good University Guide 2017". Times Newspapers. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  27. ↑ "Complete University Guide 2008". Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  28. ↑ "WhatUni 2016". Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  29. ↑ David Williamson (23 May 2016). "Intelligence agency GCHQ gives its seal of approval to Welsh university". walesonline. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  30. ↑ "St Davids Day Group". stdavidsdaygroup.ac.uk.
  31. ↑ "Newport RAE 2008 : Quality profiles". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  32. ↑ "Glamorgan RAE 2008 : Quality profiles". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  33. ↑ Fred Robinson (12 September 2012). "How can universities support disadvantaged communities?". Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  34. ↑ cite web|url=http://www.uswsu.com/about-us
  35. ↑ "biography". Emma Darwin. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  36. 1 2 3 "UniLife". southwales.ac.uk.
  37. ↑ "About". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  38. ↑ "undefined undefined undefined undefined: Executive Profile & Biography – Businessweek". Businessweek.com. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  39. ↑ "'The Raid' directed by Glamorgan graduate Gareth Evans released today, News Centre". glam.ac.uk.
  40. ↑ "Philip John / Director & Writer". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  41. ↑ "History". documentary newport. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  42. ↑ "FIRST PERSON: Film maker Peter Watkins-Hughes, 47, on campaiging to save Brynmawr Market Cinema". documentary newport. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  43. ↑ "Behnaz Akhgar". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  44. ↑ "Lorna Dunkley • Biography & Pictures". TV Newsroom. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  45. ↑ "Ben Green". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  46. ↑ http://www.marklabbett.co.uk/biography.html
  47. ↑ "Richard James Burgess". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  48. ↑ "Newport pop singer co-writes Union J hit". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  49. ↑ "Kevin Brennan MP – Cardiff West". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  50. ↑ Suzy Davies AM/AC. "About Suzy". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  51. ↑ http://leannewood.org/
  52. ↑ http://news.glam.ac.uk/news/en/2010/may/07/mba-successes-celebrated/
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