University of 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	Caerleon, Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd, Wales
Campus	Caerleon, Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd
Affiliations	University Alliance
Website	southwales.ac.uk

Establishment

The University of South Wales (Welsh: Prifysgol De Cymru) is a university in Wales. It was formed on 11 April 2013 from the merger of the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport.^[4] 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 which in 1992 gained the status of University of Glamorgan. 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.^[5]

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.^[6][7][8] However the Office of the Independent Adjudicator stated that, in 2013, the number of students was 29,875 ^[9] 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	22,710	20,900	21,070	20,210	21,190	20,345	n/a	n/a
Newport	9,120	9,065	9,290	10,040	9,990	9,780	n/a	n/a
South Wales	31,830	29,965	30,360	30,250	31,180	30,125	29,195	27,710

Source:- The Higher Education Statistics Agency ^[10]

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.^[11]

Faculties

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

Faculty of Business and Society

• School of Business
• School of Law, Accounting and Finance
• School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science

• School of Computing and Mathematics
• School of Engineering
• School of Applied Sciences

Faculty of Creative Industries

• School of Drama and Music
• School of Art and Design
• School of Media

Faculty of Life Sciences and Education

• School of Psychology, Early Years and Therapeutic Studies
• School of Education
• School of Health, Sport & Professional Practice
• Centre for Community Learning
• School of Care Sciences

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, from engineering and mathematics to computing and surveying.

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".^[12]

Campuses

The university has four main campuses:

• Caerleon – located on the northern outskirts of Newport. The formally the second largest campus which hosted a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including education, sports and photography. This Edwardian campus had extensive sports facilities, library and students' union. Formerly the main campus of the University of Wales, Newport. In 2014, it was announced by the university that the Caerleon campus will close in 2016^[13] with courses being integrated into the remaining campuses. The University is proposing developing the campus for housing, however there appears to be strong opposition to the proposed re-development from the local residents. ^[14] The Campus is due to close in July 2016.

• 

• Cardiff – The Faculty of Creative Industries is based at the ATRiuM building. Opened in 2007 by the University of Glamorgan, which converted a former BT office building. Some professional services courses are taught at the Atlantic House building, with fashion taught in the Cromwell House building. The ATRiuM building is currently being expanded and is due to open in September 2016. Fashion students will move from Cromwell House to the ATRiuM.

• 

  ATRiuM, Adam Street

• 

  Atlantic House, Tyndall Street

• 

  Cromwell House, Fitzalan Place

• 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. Hosts a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including teaching, business, social work and youth work.

• 

• Pontypridd – 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.

• 

  Main buildings

• 

  Hirwaun building

• 

  Students' Union building

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

• 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.^[15]

Reputation

Rankings

Complete[16] (2017, national)	102
The Guardian[17] (2016, national)	113
Times/Sunday Times[18] (2016, national)	114

The university is one of Wales’s five major universities and a member of the St David's Day Group.^[19] Its precursor institutions have been recognised for producing some world-leading (4*) and internationally excellent (3*) research in specialist areas,^[20][21] such as nursing and midwifery, architecture and the built environment, English language and literature, history, communication, cultural and media studies, mechanical and aeronautical and manufacturing engineering.

The University of South Wales came 8th in the UK at the WhatUni? Student Choice Awards 2016.

The University of Glamorgan was recognised for providing outstanding student support, winning the 2012 Times Higher Award for Outstanding Support to Students.^[22] 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.^[23][24]

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 and NESTA to develop debate on public policy reform in the UK.

The Good University Guide 2015 published by The Sunday Times ranked the university as 114 out of 123 UK universities. The guide rated student satisfaction at 77.0%, (117th out of 123) and student numbers as 15,835 undergraduates plus 2,475 postgraduates.

The vice-chancellor of the university, Julie Lydon, was awarded an OBE for services to higher education in Wales in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours.^[25]

Notable alumni

Artists and photographers

• Roger Cecil, painter, mixed media artist
• Maciej Dakowicz, photographer and photojournalist
• Ken Elias, artist
• Tracey Moberly, interdisciplinary artist
• Tish Murtha, documentary photographer

Authors and creative writers

• Carole Bromley, poet
• Emma Darwin, novelist ^[26]
• Philip Gross, poet, novelist, playwright and academic
• Paul Groves, poet
• Maria McCann, novelist ^[27]
• Gareth L. Powell, science fiction author ^[28]
• Dan Rhodes, writer ^[27]
• Keir Thomas, author and journalist
• Rachel Trezise, author ^[27]
• Camilla Way, author
• Tine Wittler, writer and presenter

Business and legal

• Christopher Chung Shu-kun, BBS, JP, member of Hong Kong Legislative Council
• Trudy Norris-Grey, Microsoft ^[29]
• Gemma Hallett, Former Welsh rugby union player, Founder, miFuture

Film

• Gareth Evans, film director and screenwriter^[30]
• Philip John, director and screenwriter ^[31]
• Kirk Jones, film director and screenwriter
• Asif Kapadia, film maker
• Justin Kerrigan, writer and director
• Teddy Soeriaatmadja, film director
• Peter Watkins-Hughes, BAFTA Cymru award winning writer/director^[32][33]

Healthcare professionals

• Sue Bale OBE, Director of South East Wales Academic Health Science Partnership

Media personalities and performers

• Behnaz Akhgar, weather presenter ^[34]
• Max Boyce MBE, entertainer
• Lorna Dunkley, newsreader and presenter ^[35]
• Ben Green, comedy actor ^[36]
• Harry Greene, television personality
• Mark Labbett, tv personality^[37]
• Nicola Miles-Wildin, performer

Musicians

• Richard James Burgess, producer, musician, digital music innovator ^[38]
• Martin Goldschmidt, co-founder and managing director of UK independent record label Cooking Vinyl
• Mike Howlett, musician and music producer
• Jon Maguire, songwriter and former member of duo Lilygreen & Maguire^[39]
• Sion Russell Jones, singer and songwriter
• Ian Watkins, singer from rock band Lostprophets

Politicians

• Kevin Brennan, politician^[40]
• Suzy Davies^[41]
• Jill Evans, MEP for Wales
• Catherine Thomas
• Leanne Wood, party leader of Plaid Cymru and Welsh Assembly Group Leader ^[42]

Scientists

• Randii Wessen

Sports people

• Matthew Jarvis, rugby player
• Rupert Moon, rugby player and businessman
• Darren Morris, rugby player
• Jamie Robinson, rugby player
• Nigel Walker, former Olympian and rugby player for Wales, National Director at the English Institute of Sport ^[43]

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. "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. "Preferred Name Announced For New University (press release)". Newport.ac.uk. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-10.
6. "University of South Wales opens for 33,500 students". The BBC. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
7. "University guide 2014: University of South Wales". The Guardian. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
8. USW Annual Review 2013
9. "Office of the Independent Adjudicator" (PDF). Independent Adjudicator. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
10. https://www.hesa.ac.uk/content/view/1973/239/
11. "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.
12. 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.
13. "Campus Changes". University of South Wales Campus Changes. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
14. "Campus Changes". Retrieved 18 April 2016.
15. "USW London campus shut down before taking on any students". South Wales Argus. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
16. "University League Table 2017". The Complete University Guide. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
17. "University league tables 2016". The Guardian. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
18. "The Times and Sunday Times University Good University Guide 2016". Times Newspapers. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
19. "St Davids Day Group". stdavidsdaygroup.ac.uk.
20. "RAE 2008 : Quality profiles". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
21. "RAE 2008 : Quality profiles". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
22. "Glamorgan wins national award for outstanding student support, News Centre". glam.ac.uk.
23. Universities Heads of the Valleys Institute (UHOVI).
24. 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.
25. Rupert Denholm-Hall (13 June 2014). "Business leaders across Wales recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours". walesonline. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
26. "biography". Emma Darwin. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
27. "UniLife". southwales.ac.uk.
28. "About". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
29. "undefined undefined undefined undefined: Executive Profile & Biography – Businessweek". Businessweek.com. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
30. "‘The Raid’ directed by Glamorgan graduate Gareth Evans released today, News Centre". glam.ac.uk.
31. "Philip John / Director & Writer". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
32. "History". documentary newport. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
33. "FIRST PERSON: Film maker Peter Watkins-Hughes, 47, on campaiging to save Brynmawr Market Cinema". documentary newport. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
34. "Behnaz Akhgar". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
35. "Lorna Dunkley • Biography & Pictures". TV Newsroom. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
36. "Ben Green". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
37. http://www.marklabbett.co.uk/biography.html
38. "Richard James Burgess". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
39. "Newport pop singer co-writes Union J hit". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
40. "Kevin Brennan MP – Cardiff West". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
41. Suzy Davies AM/AC. "About Suzy". Retrieved 31 May 2015.
42. http://leannewood.org/
43. http://news.glam.ac.uk/news/en/2010/may/07/mba-successes-celebrated/