UWTSD Annual Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
UWTSD Annual Report 2016 - 2017 UNIVERSITY TRANSFORMING EDUCATION . PROFILE TRANSFORMING LIVES The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is the oldest I am delighted to provide an overview of the academic year 2016-17 Royal Chartered University in Wales and is proud to have as its and to highlight some of the key achievements that have enabled the Patron His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. We are part of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to make progress in its mission confederation of several institutions, including Coleg Sir Gâr and to transform education and the lives of those we serve. Coleg Ceredigion as constituent colleges. Together, we provide an integrated, dual sector approach to education for the benefit of In meeting this ambitious mission, the University is itself transforming to learners, employers and communities, and will be enhanced later create a confederation of several institutions committed to placing the this year through merger with the University of Wales. The merger wellbeing of our nation at the heart of our activities. will complete the establishment of a transformed University, and will be an opportunity to celebrate the historic contributions that all The University’s new five-year strategic plan is underpinned by a members of the confederation have made to Wales. commitment to our learners, and to Wales – its heritage, language and culture – as well as to the long term prosperity and health of its citizens. Through academic excellence and the provision of high quality teaching, informed by staff scholarship, research and professional practice, we have stated in the plan how we will engage and challenge our learners to achieve their potential and to make a valuable contribution to their communities. A key strength of the University and its constituent colleges, Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion, is the reach across the region – from Cardiff to Aberystwyth – which, through the provision of a continuum of further and higher education, enables UWTSD to work within a range of professional networks to ensure the relevance of our curriculum for the current and future workforce in Wales, the UK and further afield. In addition, the Professor Medwin Hughes, DL, rural and urban settings of our campuses assist the University to foster Vice-Chancellor excellent community links so that its resources and services are celebrated as regional assets. Such links enable UWTSD to fulfil its civic role and to support cultural, social and economic activity by developing our campuses Swansea as impact hubs linking to national and regional priorities and ensuring that we respond to the economic and social needs of those communities. Over the past years, the University has invested significantly into major initiatives across our campuses in order to maximise opportunities for growth and enhancement based on their unique settings and expertise. A common theme for such initiatives is the opportunity to co-locate and collaborate with the private sector in order to transform the educational experience for staff and students and graduates. The University’s SA1 Swansea Waterfront is a prime example of how we are transforming the educational landscape. Phase 1 of the £300 million investment is well underway and will include new state-of-the-art facilities Carmarthen for the Faculty of Architecture, Computing and Engineering and the Swansea-based activities of the Faculty of Education and Communities as well as a new library. In addition, the site will be home to the Construction Wales Innovation Centre (CWIC), a unique initiative funded by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) for the development of a training centre with its hub in SA1 and spokes at FE colleges around Wales. The University has already established a strong presence in SA1 within its Technium buildings in which we are collaborating with a range of companies on developing our academic portfolio as well as a range of other services. This will enable the University and students to work closely with business and match skills development with job opportunities. To date our partners in SA1 Swansea Waterfront include OSTC on the Lampeter development of a range of financial products and which has already led to the creation of the MSc Trading and Financial Markets programme; NHS Wales Informatics Services (NWIS) on health related data and on In addition, the University, the Chin Kung Multi-cultural Education the development of bespoke course provision; Power & Water on new Foundation and the International Foundation for Inter-Faith and Intercultural initiatives linked to environmental management and the creation of PURO, Dialogue announced the establishment of harmony doctoral scholarships to an environmental technology development company; The Swansea Tidal facilitate research into aspects of inter-faith, inter-cultural dialogue through Lagoon on coastal monitoring, developing skills for the Lagoon Power an investigation of the similarities and differences between the beliefs, ethics industry as well as and water-sports development. and precepts of various religions and faith-based traditions. In January, the University announced plans to develop a Box Village and During the year, colleagues and I had the privilege of addressing an Innovation Precinct based on the idea of converting shipping containers International Peace Conference organised by the Pure Land Learning to provide flexible, affordable space for start-up companies and which will Association at UNESCO in Paris. The theme was ‘Achieving World Peace bring students, academics and businesses together create ‘communities and Harmony through Religious Education and Engagement’ and it SA1 Swansea Waterfront Professor Medwin Hughes, DL, of practice’. It will enable the University to exploit knowledge and expertise provided the opportunity to share the University’s expertise in promoting addresses the UNESCO delegation to create new enterprise hubs and high skill accelerator schemes to interfaith dialogue as well as the engagement with the Chin grow new businesses linked to our portfolio, develop the skills of current Kung Foundation. businesses and attract new investment into the region. Through such activities the University will create opportunities for employment, helping to The University’s Lampeter campus hosted a number of conferences generate more footfall and spending in the city centre and to retain some including the second Harmony Conference, entitled ‘What is the of the brightest entrepreneurial talents from within the UWTSD Group in Relationship Between Harmony and Sustainability?’ which included the region; ensuring that we are investing in our home grown talent to our addresses by four leading activists and environmental commentators and mutual benefit. Professors of Practice at the University, David Cadman, John Sauven, Tony Juniper and Peter Davies. In March, UK and Welsh Government Ministers visited Swansea Bay to sign a £1.3 billion City Deal that will transform the economic landscape The Interfaith Symposium held in July brought together faith leaders from in the region. UWTSD was delighted to note that the Box Village and across Wales as well as a spectrum of faith traditions which provided the Innovation Precinct would from part of the Swansea City and Waterfront opportunity to reflect upon and discuss the key challenges facing the Digital District and that UWTSD’s creative and digital industries cluster world today and to chart new directions in inter-faith thought and practice. In November 2016 UWTSD welcomed Mr Delegates at the UNESCO conference Ken Skates, AM, Cabinet Secretary for would form part of the Carmarthenshire-led initiatives, building on the Economy and Infrastructure to mark the development of Yr Egin cluster on the Carmarthen Campus. Yr Egin, which These are some of the initiatives that we have developed over the year commencement of the building work for will become home to S4C’s headquarters and a number of companies to cement Lampeter’s reputation as a beacon for those interested in new Phase 1 of the SA1 Swansea Waterfront within the digital and creative industries, is a transformational project approaches to the study of the Humanities, Heritage, the Environment and that offers the opportunity to bring together the Welsh Government’s Spirituality and have afforded opportunities for staff, students and the wider economic, linguistic and cultural policy objectives as noted in the community to engage and to celebrate the rich tradition of the campus. programme for government Taking Wales Forward. The University The development of a distinctive health and wellbeing portfolio linked to also welcomed the Welsh Government’s announcement that its grant the Welsh Government’s Wellbeing of Future Generations Act 2015 is a key application for the development of Yr Egin had been successful. priority area and brings together cross-faculty curriculum development. The University’s location across the region provides opportunities to work The groundwork for Canolfan S4C yr Egin commenced in March with with health professionals and communities across South West Wales on the contractors, Kier Construction, already providing employment developing programmes to meet their specific needs. The University’s opportunities for local businesses and individuals to work on the School of Sport, Health and Outdoor Education, for example, has launched development ahead of its opening in 2018. Professors of Practice with staff two initiatives to encourage all-age