Wales, University of

I

Introduction

Wales, University of, degree-awarding body for multiple institutions of higher education in Wales. The University of Wales, founded by Royal Charter in 1893, has a confederal relationship with the nine accredited institutions in Wales for which it is the degree-awarding body. Until 2007 it was a federal body, and these institutions were constituent members.

In the early 1990s there were six constituent institutions: at Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Lampeter, Swansea, and the College of Medicine in Cardiff. University of Wales Institute, Cardiff and University of Wales College, Newport were formally incorporated into the university in 1996, and this was followed in 2004 by the admission of four more institutions: the North East Wales Institute, Trinity College, Swansea Institute of Higher Education, and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. The University of Wales, Cardiff, which was the largest constituent institution, merged with the University of Wales College of Medicine in 2004 and the resulting Cardiff University became an independent body, affiliated to the University of Wales. In January 2007 the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama left the university and formed a strategic alliance with the University of Glamorgan. In September 2007 the charter of the University of Wales was revised, with the member institutions becoming independent.

II

Aberystwyth

Founded in 1872, the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, was the first university institution to be established in Wales. It was given its charter in 1889 and became a constituent college of the university in 1893. In 1995 the Welsh Agricultural College joined Aberystwyth, becoming the Welsh Institute of Rural Studies. In October 2007 the University of Wales, Aberystwyth became Aberystwyth University.

III

Bangor

Bangor was established in 1884 with 58 students housed in a former coaching inn, and became a constituent college of the university in 1893. Growth was relatively slow until the 1960s, and in 1976 St Mary’s College of Education joined the college, to be followed 20 years later by Bangor Normal College. In September 2007 the University of Wales, Bangor became Bangor University.

IV

Lampeter

The University of Wales, Lampeter was founded in 1822 for the training of Anglican priests and is now a liberal arts university.