North East Wales Institute of Higher Education
Encyclopedia
Glyndŵr University is a university
with campuses at Wrexham
and Northop
in north-east Wales
. Formerly known as the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI), it was granted full university
status in 2008 after being a member of the University of Wales
since 2003. The University is named after the medieval Welsh prince Owain Glyndŵr
, who first suggested the establishment of universities throughout Wales in the early 15th century.
Glyndŵr University (GU) remains an accredited institution of the University of Wales and offers both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as professional courses. The Vice Chancellor is Professor Michael Scott
. GU has approximately 8,000 students including over 500 from outside the UK, including the highest percentage of any UK institution from Spain.
. The WSSA began offering University of London
degrees in Science in 1924. The original name of Wrexham School of Science and Art was changed several times. In 1927, it became Denbighshire Technical Institute, becoming Denbighshire Technical College in 1939 and North East Wales Institute of Higher Education
in 1975 by the merger of Denbighshire
Technical College, Cartrefle Teacher Training College and Kelsterton College of Connah's Quay, Deeside
. Initially, its degrees were validated by the University of Salford
. Some famous alumni include William Roberts, Rupert Humphrey and Srinjoy Guha among others.
In 1993, NEWI became an associate member of the University of Wales and all further education
courses in Wrexham were moved to Yale College
, Wrexham. In 2004, NEWI became a full member of the University of Wales and in 2006 became accredited by the University of Wales and exercised devolved powers to validate and deliver its own University of Wales degrees. The university was officially renamed "Glyndŵr University" in July 2008 after being granted degree awarding powers. The name was chosen in favour of other suggestions such as "University of Wrexham", "University of Wales, Wrexham", and "North East Wales University (NEWU)" amongst others. The University was visited by the Queen in 2003 and by HRH the Duchess of Gloucester in 2005.
covers 93 acres (376,358 m²), and was inherited from the former Cartrefle TTC which moved there in 1953. It houses over 70 seminar suites, conference suites, lecture theatres, work shops and laboratories, complemented with a library (the Edward Llwyd Centre) and learning resource facilities, as well as a fair sized sports centre (the Plas Coch Sports Centre), a human performance lab, the Terry Hands studio, the Catrin Finch Centre, William Aston Hall, Gallery 109, the Welsh international hockey team, and Techniquest
, a science discovery centre, open to the public.
Glyndŵr University's other Wrexham site, on Regent Street, is situated near to Wrexham town centre and is home to Glyndŵr University's courses in Art and Design. It formerly housed the Denbighshire Technical College, who moved to the site in 1927 (under their previous name of Denbighshire Technical Institute).
In 2008, the University took over the higher education provision of the Welsh College of Horticulture in Northop
, Flintshire, and now has a full campus in that location. Courses offered are unique in Wales and include equestrian psychology, landscape for garden design, and organic horticulture.
and social work
, Glyndŵr University offers a range of postgraduate and undergraduate qualifications in Art
& Design, Engineering
, Science
, Humanities
, Health
and Social Care, Sport
s Sciences, Computing
and Communication Technology, Music technology
and Business
. Although all courses are offered in English there are options to study or to be assessed in the Welsh language
. A foundation degree in Welsh Translation is also available.
Glyndŵr University is active in postgraduate research, particularly in science
but also in engineering
, health
, business studies
and the arts
. The institution entered the RAE 2008 and received several rankings of "international significance". The restructured Chemistry research team has now repositioned itself under Materials Science and has entered the 2008 RAE under that unit of assessment. The Materials Science Research Centre also includes the Glyn O Philips Hydrocollids Research Centre, directly supported by the Japanese company San-Ei Gen FFI Inc. Materials Science at Glyndŵr University includes the Water Soluble Polymers Group and the Advanced Materials Group, as well as an Advanced Composites Training and Development Centre underway with Airbus
in Hawarden
.
Glyndŵr University is a member of the Fair Trade
Coalition. It displays the Fair trade logo and sells Fair Trade items in its cafes/shops. Glyndŵr University recently ran a fair trade fortnight to publicise and show support for the cause. It ran between the 26th February to 9 March.
as well as the student union Bar, named 'The Guild' (As of the beginning of the academic year 07/08. The bar has previously been known as "Baldrick's" and "Degrees"). Glyndŵr has its own car racing team which is run by the engineering school's Car Performance degree course students. The North Wales Clinical School opened in 2007 at Glyndŵr University's Plas Coch campus.
Also located in the Plas Coch area of Wrexham are Wrexham F.C., Crusaders Rugby League, the Racket Centre (a tennis centre), the North Wales Regional Hockey Stadium and the Plas Coch retail park containing several well-known large stores and a cinema. In August 2011, the University agreed a deal to buy Wrexham FC's Racecourse Ground
.
Glyndŵr University has a good relationship with the football club and its supporters. The sports centre is the home ground of the Glyndwr Nets, North Wales's highest-ranking basketball
team, who gained 5th place in the National division 3 in 2003-2004 and have been regularly invited back to play since, celebrating their thousandth game as a national team on March 21, 2007. The NEWI Nets played in the British division two in 2005/2006 and in 2006/2007 gaining 5th place.
Glyndŵr University recently acquired its North Wales regional hockey
stadium after a £1 million investment from Sport@NEWI and Sport Wales. It is a water-based, astroturf
floodlit
stadium with room for 200 spectators.
and six collaborative partners.
, and the number of international students is growing. Glyndŵr University's base in Wrexham offers economical student living for UK students and those from abroad. Indeed, Glyndŵr University is particularly popular with EU students who have established a firm base in Wrexham making Glyndŵr University one of the top 20 most popular destinations for EU undergraduate higher education students in the whole of the UK. Glyndŵr University is also extremely popular with mature students. Around 54% of Glyndŵr University students are over twenty-one with 17% over the age of forty.
Glyndŵr University has its own nursery called Little Scholars. This provides places for students' children between the ages of 0-5. In the holidays a Little Scholars holiday club is provided plus the active 8-2-14 club. Glyndŵr University gives awards in sports, especially Hockey.
.
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
with campuses at Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
and Northop
Northop
Northop is a small village situated in Flintshire, Wales, approximately 12 miles west of the city of Chester, mid-way between Mold and Flint, and situated just off junction 33 of the A55 North Wales Expressway. At the 2001 Census, the population of Northop was 2,983.The village is home to two...
in north-east Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Formerly known as the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI), it was granted full university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
status in 2008 after being a member of the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
since 2003. The University is named after the medieval Welsh prince Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
, who first suggested the establishment of universities throughout Wales in the early 15th century.
Glyndŵr University (GU) remains an accredited institution of the University of Wales and offers both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as professional courses. The Vice Chancellor is Professor Michael Scott
Michael Scott (academic)
Michael Scott is a British academic and university administrator. A Professor of English literature, he is currently Vice-Chancellor of Glyndŵr University in Wrexham, Wales....
. GU has approximately 8,000 students including over 500 from outside the UK, including the highest percentage of any UK institution from Spain.
History
Glyndŵr University's origins date back to the opening of Wrexham School of Science and Art (WSSA) in 1887. At this time Viriamu Jones called for a University of WalesUniversity of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
. The WSSA began offering University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
degrees in Science in 1924. The original name of Wrexham School of Science and Art was changed several times. In 1927, it became Denbighshire Technical Institute, becoming Denbighshire Technical College in 1939 and North East Wales Institute of Higher Education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
in 1975 by the merger of Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
Technical College, Cartrefle Teacher Training College and Kelsterton College of Connah's Quay, Deeside
Deeside
For Strathdee in Scotland see River Dee, AberdeenshireDeeside is the name given to the predominantly industrial conurbation of towns and villages that lie on, or near the River Dee in Chester. These include, Connah's Quay, Mancot, Pentre, Shotton, Queensferry, Sealand, Broughton, Hawarden,...
. Initially, its degrees were validated by the University of Salford
University of Salford
The University of Salford is a campus university based in Salford, Greater Manchester, England with approximately 20,000 registered students. The main campus is about west of Manchester city centre, on the A6, opposite the former home of the physicist, James Prescott Joule and the Working Class...
. Some famous alumni include William Roberts, Rupert Humphrey and Srinjoy Guha among others.
In 1993, NEWI became an associate member of the University of Wales and all further education
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
courses in Wrexham were moved to Yale College
Yale College Wrexham
Yale College of Wrexham is a further education college in Wrexham, northeast Wales.-History:The history of Yale College can be summarised in three phases: Yale Grammar and Technical School, Yale Sixth Form, Yale College...
, Wrexham. In 2004, NEWI became a full member of the University of Wales and in 2006 became accredited by the University of Wales and exercised devolved powers to validate and deliver its own University of Wales degrees. The university was officially renamed "Glyndŵr University" in July 2008 after being granted degree awarding powers. The name was chosen in favour of other suggestions such as "University of Wrexham", "University of Wales, Wrexham", and "North East Wales University (NEWU)" amongst others. The University was visited by the Queen in 2003 and by HRH the Duchess of Gloucester in 2005.
Campuses
Glyndŵr University has two sites on its Wrexham campus. The main site at Plas CochPlas Coch
Plas Coch is an unofficial area in the Wrexham County Borough of Wales. It lies to the north-west part of the Welsh town of Wrexham. The area was originally known as lower Stansty however in more recent years the use of 'Plas Coch' is more common.-Geography:...
covers 93 acres (376,358 m²), and was inherited from the former Cartrefle TTC which moved there in 1953. It houses over 70 seminar suites, conference suites, lecture theatres, work shops and laboratories, complemented with a library (the Edward Llwyd Centre) and learning resource facilities, as well as a fair sized sports centre (the Plas Coch Sports Centre), a human performance lab, the Terry Hands studio, the Catrin Finch Centre, William Aston Hall, Gallery 109, the Welsh international hockey team, and Techniquest
Techniquest
Techniquest is a Welsh science and discovery centre. It has locations in Cardiff Bay, Glyndŵr University in Wrexham, Llanberis in Gwynedd, and the Adventure Center in Narberth, Pembrokeshire....
, a science discovery centre, open to the public.
Glyndŵr University's other Wrexham site, on Regent Street, is situated near to Wrexham town centre and is home to Glyndŵr University's courses in Art and Design. It formerly housed the Denbighshire Technical College, who moved to the site in 1927 (under their previous name of Denbighshire Technical Institute).
In 2008, the University took over the higher education provision of the Welsh College of Horticulture in Northop
Northop
Northop is a small village situated in Flintshire, Wales, approximately 12 miles west of the city of Chester, mid-way between Mold and Flint, and situated just off junction 33 of the A55 North Wales Expressway. At the 2001 Census, the population of Northop was 2,983.The village is home to two...
, Flintshire, and now has a full campus in that location. Courses offered are unique in Wales and include equestrian psychology, landscape for garden design, and organic horticulture.
Courses
Glyndŵr University runs 150 programmes, offering foundation, HND/Cs, honours and master's degrees and doctorates over a broad variety of qualifications. In addition to professional courses such as nursingNursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
and social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
, Glyndŵr University offers a range of postgraduate and undergraduate qualifications in Art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
& Design, Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, Humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
, Health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
and Social Care, Sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s Sciences, Computing
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
and Communication Technology, Music technology
Music technology
Music technology is a term that refers to all forms of technology involved with the musical arts, particularly the use of electronic devices and computer software to facilitate playback, recording, composition, storage and performance. This subject is taught at many different educational levels,...
and Business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
. Although all courses are offered in English there are options to study or to be assessed in the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
. A foundation degree in Welsh Translation is also available.
Glyndŵr University is active in postgraduate research, particularly in science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
but also in engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
, business studies
Business studies
Business studies is an academic subject taught at higher level in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, as well as at university level in many countries...
and the arts
The arts
The arts are a vast subdivision of culture, composed of many creative endeavors and disciplines. It is a broader term than "art", which as a description of a field usually means only the visual arts. The arts encompass visual arts, literary arts and the performing arts – music, theatre, dance and...
. The institution entered the RAE 2008 and received several rankings of "international significance". The restructured Chemistry research team has now repositioned itself under Materials Science and has entered the 2008 RAE under that unit of assessment. The Materials Science Research Centre also includes the Glyn O Philips Hydrocollids Research Centre, directly supported by the Japanese company San-Ei Gen FFI Inc. Materials Science at Glyndŵr University includes the Water Soluble Polymers Group and the Advanced Materials Group, as well as an Advanced Composites Training and Development Centre underway with Airbus
Airbus
Airbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
in Hawarden
Hawarden
Hawarden is a village in Flintshire, North Wales. Hawarden forms part of the Deeside conurbation on the Welsh/English border. At the 2001 Census, the population of Hawarden Ward was 1,858...
.
Other activities and overseas ties
GU commenced a number of international projects in the 1980s, forming Khartoum Polytechnic, Westbank University, Lerothli Polytechnic and developed more networks of Universities in Africa and Asia.Glyndŵr University is a member of the Fair Trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
Coalition. It displays the Fair trade logo and sells Fair Trade items in its cafes/shops. Glyndŵr University recently ran a fair trade fortnight to publicise and show support for the cause. It ran between the 26th February to 9 March.
Sports, clubs and traditions
Glyndŵr University boasts a large sports centre, a radio studio, sound recording studio, engineering laboratories, art gallery, IT facilities, theatre studios, motor racing team, a dedicated scene of crime lab and notably the unusual asset of a Chinese medicine clinic. The Plas Coch site hosts an active student unionStudents' union
A students' union, student government, student senate, students' association, guild of students or government of student body is a student organization present in many colleges and universities, and has started appearing in some high schools...
as well as the student union Bar, named 'The Guild' (As of the beginning of the academic year 07/08. The bar has previously been known as "Baldrick's" and "Degrees"). Glyndŵr has its own car racing team which is run by the engineering school's Car Performance degree course students. The North Wales Clinical School opened in 2007 at Glyndŵr University's Plas Coch campus.
Also located in the Plas Coch area of Wrexham are Wrexham F.C., Crusaders Rugby League, the Racket Centre (a tennis centre), the North Wales Regional Hockey Stadium and the Plas Coch retail park containing several well-known large stores and a cinema. In August 2011, the University agreed a deal to buy Wrexham FC's Racecourse Ground
Racecourse Ground
The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League...
.
Glyndŵr University has a good relationship with the football club and its supporters. The sports centre is the home ground of the Glyndwr Nets, North Wales's highest-ranking basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team, who gained 5th place in the National division 3 in 2003-2004 and have been regularly invited back to play since, celebrating their thousandth game as a national team on March 21, 2007. The NEWI Nets played in the British division two in 2005/2006 and in 2006/2007 gaining 5th place.
Glyndŵr University recently acquired its North Wales regional hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
stadium after a £1 million investment from Sport@NEWI and Sport Wales. It is a water-based, astroturf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
floodlit
High-intensity discharge lamp
High-intensity discharge lamps are a type of electrical lamp which produces light by means of an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent fused quartz or fused alumina arc tube. This tube is filled with both gas and metal salts. The gas facilitates the...
stadium with room for 200 spectators.
Companies
Glyndŵr University has two subsidiary companies:- Glyndŵr Innovations Ltd
- North Wales Science (Techniquest Glyndŵr - "TQG")
and six collaborative partners.
- Yale CollegeYale College WrexhamYale College of Wrexham is a further education college in Wrexham, northeast Wales.-History:The history of Yale College can be summarised in three phases: Yale Grammar and Technical School, Yale Sixth Form, Yale College...
- Deeside CollegeDeeside CollegeDeeside College is a further education college situated in Connah's Quay, Flintshire, North Wales. In January 2007, the college gained the highest possible grade 1 inspection ratings for its Work Based Learning provision...
- Coleg MenaiColeg MenaiColeg Menai is a further education college located in Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales. The college also has campuses in Llangefni and Caernarfon...
- Coleg Llandrillo CymruColeg Llandrillo CymruColeg Llandrillo Cymru is the largest College in North Wales with around 22,000 learners studying either on campus, in the community, in the workplace or over the Internet....
- Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology
- Canolfan TrywerynCanolfan TrywerynCanolfan Tryweryn is the National White Water Centre for Wales, and is based near Bala in North Wales. It developed the first commercial white water rafting operation in the UK in 1986, and since then has grown to become the largest and most well-respected rafting organisation in the UK...
Students
Glyndŵr University's students come from all over the UK and the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, and the number of international students is growing. Glyndŵr University's base in Wrexham offers economical student living for UK students and those from abroad. Indeed, Glyndŵr University is particularly popular with EU students who have established a firm base in Wrexham making Glyndŵr University one of the top 20 most popular destinations for EU undergraduate higher education students in the whole of the UK. Glyndŵr University is also extremely popular with mature students. Around 54% of Glyndŵr University students are over twenty-one with 17% over the age of forty.
Glyndŵr University has its own nursery called Little Scholars. This provides places for students' children between the ages of 0-5. In the holidays a Little Scholars holiday club is provided plus the active 8-2-14 club. Glyndŵr University gives awards in sports, especially Hockey.
Accommodation
Glyndŵr University has three main halls of residence, namely the Student village, Plas Coch Hostel and Snowdon Hall, and two smaller halls of residence named Bath Road House and Clwyd House. Both Plas Coch Hostel and the Student Village are on the main Glyndŵr University site with the hostel being the older and smaller of the two. The student village is separated into houses and the houses into flats. Snowdon Hall, Bath Road and Clwyd House are in the vicinity of Wrexham town. The student village and Snowdon Hall are on suite and the rest are shared facilities. All of Glyndŵr University's accommodation is self catering. Snowdon Hall is separated into five separate blocks of lockable flats and is currently leased from and run by the Opal Group.Faculty
Glyndŵr University's first principal (then as NEWI) was Professor Glyn O Phillips. He retired in 1991 and was replaced by Professor John O Williams. Following the retirement of Prof. Williams in 2000, NEWI then appointed Professor Scott in 2001 who is now the current Vice-Chancellor of Glyndŵr University. Prof. Scott is, himself, a former student of the University of Wales, LampeterUniversity of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
.