Annual Report
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UWTSD Annual Report 2017 - 2018 UNIVERSITY TRANSFORMING EDUCATION . PROFILE TRANSFORMING LIVES The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is the oldest I am very pleased to introduce the Annual Report for 2017-18 and to Royal Chartered University in Wales and is proud to have as its be able to highlight some of the key milestones reached during the Patron His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. year which demonstrate the University’s achievement of its mission of transforming education and the lives of those we serve. UWTSD is a new confederal University. It comprises the University of Wales, the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, the Wales It is almost eight years since the University of Wales Trinity Saint David International Academy of Voice, as well as Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg (UWTSD) was created to provide a new civic university appropriate to the Ceredigion as constituent colleges. This dual sector approach offers needs of Wales. Over that period of time we have set about establishing a new education system which bridges further and higher education. a new education system which bridges further and higher education. The transformed university is grounded in traditions of its founding institutions - established some 200 years ago - of providing education and training which responds to the social and economic imperatives of the day. We take great pride in our history and in the way that it has provided us with the determination and confidence to shape our own future and respond to today’s imperatives, albeit now within a global higher education context. A significant milestone reached in August 2017 was the approval of a deed of union between UWTSD and the University of Wales which delivered on the original policy objective of integrating two historic universities, and thereby creating a new University for Wales. Today, the UWTSD Group, which also includes Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion as constituent colleges, has positioned itself as a catalyst for economic, social and cultural growth across the Swansea Bay City Region and beyond. The Group’s reach across the region is undoubtedly a key strength and enables us to Professor Medwin Hughes, DL, work with employers, schools and partners to ensure the relevance of Vice-Chancellor our curriculum for the current and future workforce in Wales, the UK and further afield. Swansea I was delighted to note that the University’s longstanding reputation and strong track record for Initial Teacher Education and training was given a further boost when Yr Athrofa: Professional Learning Partnership (APLP) – a collaboration between the University and a network of more than 100 schools, including 11 Church In Wales Schools – was one of only four institutions in Wales to receive accreditation from the Education Workforce Council to deliver teacher education from 2019 onwards. In creating Yr Athrofa our intention was to lead transformational change and support a self-improving education system, in accordance with the Welsh Government’s policies relating to teacher education, curriculum reform and school improvement. The establishment of the APLP in partnership with the profession was part of that change. Together, we have created strategic Education Secretary Kirsty Williams, AM hubs across the region to deliver new programmes to equip tomorrow’s Carmarthen teachers with the skills that they need to ensure that children in Wales are given every opportunity to achieve their potential and to thrive. This is a significant achievement for the future of the University and its impact on the wellbeing of Wales - just as one of our founding institutions, Trinity College, was established to train teachers for Church Schools, working alongside the Diocese of St Davids, in order to influence the educational, cultural and spiritual life of the nation. During the year, Yr Athrofa has also delivered a series of seminars as well as its annual conference which brought education practitioners from all over Wales together to discuss the profession and its future needs. We were pleased to welcome Education Secretary Kirsty Williams, AM, as well Lampeter Prof Graham Donaldson addresses the as author of the Welsh Government’s Successful Futures report, Professor audience at Yr Athrofa’s conference Graham Donaldson, to address our students and schools partners during these events. The higher education landscape in the UK is ever changing as universities to students through its collaborative solution, Vision Exchange. This develop flexible and part-time modes of study alongside their traditional pioneering platform will facilitate the move from traditional lecture theatres full-time campus-based offer. Such provision assists in increasing and auditoria to cutting-edge learning spaces enabling collaborative and participation in higher education and also provides opportunities for interactive learning styles befitting the skills and attributes required for the employers and their employees to upskill and gain qualifications based modern workplace. on the specific needs of their businesses. The University has already developed an award-winning professional practice framework which Phase 2 of the SA1 Swansea Waterfront will include the development of enables students to study in their workplace and during the year we also a Box Village and Innovation Precinct based on the idea of converting established the Apprenticeships Unit across the UWTSD Group to exploit shipping containers to provide flexible, affordable space for start-up greater opportunities to increase our collaboration with employers. It was, companies and which will bring students, academics and businesses The Launch of the Apprenticeships in therefore, pleasing to note that the Welsh Government released funding for a together to create ‘communities of practice’. It will enable the University to A new generation of Technology health informatics number of apprenticeships in health informatics through the Wales Institute exploit knowledge and expertise to create new enterprise hubs and high Enhanced Learning of Digital Information – a collaboration between the University and the NHS skill accelerator schemes to grow new businesses linked to our portfolio, Wales Informatics Service. A Higher Apprenticeship (level 4), to be delivered develop the skills of current businesses and attract new investment into through Coleg Sir Gâr, and a Digital Degree Apprenticeship (levels 4 to 6) the region. Through such activities the University will create opportunities are now available for people looking to make progress in a career in health for employment, helping to generate more footfall and spending in the city IT. In addition, a new degree apprenticeship in policing will be launched with centre and to retain some of the brightest entrepreneurial talents from within South Wales and Gwent police as part of a new education qualifications the UWTSD Group in the region, ensuring that we are investing in our home framework developed by the University. We look forward to developing grown talent to our mutual benefit. The development will form part of the other opportunities to upskill businesses in the region, including in the areas Swansea Bay City Region City Deal as one of the 11 projects identified of engineering, construction and the creative industries – all of which are for the £1.3 billion support from the UK and Welsh Governments that will major employment opportunities within the Swansea Bay City Region. transform the economic landscape of the region. A major success in the past few years has been the development of I’m also pleased to note that the University’s creative and digital industries Learning and Outreach Centres in other parts of Wales and the UK to widen cluster is also part of the Carmarthenshire-led initiatives of the City Deal, access and increase participation in higher education. The University’s building on the development of Yr Egin cluster on the Carmarthen Campus. Learners at the University’s reputation for the creative and performing arts is strengthened by the Phase 1 of the development is Canolfan S4C Yr Egin the new home to Learning Centres success of its Learning Centres in Cardiff – the Wales International Academy S4C’s headquarters and a number of companies within the digital and of Voice and Canolfan Berfformio Cymru – both of which provide specialist creative industries. The iconic building opened its doors at the beginning training in the performing arts. In addition, our London campus is successful of September and reached 74% tenant occupancy ahead of opening, in attracting international students to study business, management and exceeding its original target of 60%. computing programmes. The success of the outreach programme - Certificate of Higher Education: Skills for the Workplace, which offer entry Canolfan S4C Yr Egin, however, is more than a building; it is a to higher education - has also led to new provision in other venues in Wales transformational project that offers the opportunity to bring economic, and England. The programme’s modules are mapped against the Institute of The first cohort of tenants cultural and social value to Carmarthenshire and to Wales. The University’s Leadership and Management’s (ILM) internationally recognised professional of Canolfan S4C Yr Egin vision for Yr Egin is to develop a centre that will reflect commercial best qualifications framework and provides progression routes for successful practice within the creative sector linked to the UWTSD Group’s bilingual students