University of Wales Trinity Saint David Information

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (Welsh: Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant) is a multi-campus university with three main campuses in South West Wales, in Carmarthen, Lampeter and Swansea, a fourth campus in London, England, and learning centres in Cardiff, Wales, and Birmingham, England.

The university came into existence through the merger of the two oldest higher education institutions in Wales, the University of Wales, Lampeter (UWL) and Trinity University College (TUC) in 2010, under Lampeters royal charter of 1828. In 2011, it was announced that the University of Wales would also be merged into Trinity Saint David. On 1 August 2013 the university merged with Swansea Metropolitan University.

The Patron of the university is the Prince of Wales, the President of Trinity Saint David is R. Brinley Jones and the Vice-Chancellor is Medwin Hughes.

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David was formed in July 2010 by the merger of the University of Wales, Lampeter and Trinity University College, via a supplementary charter to Lampeters 1828 royal charter.

In 2008, a QAA report on Lampeter concluded that, although the quality of the universitys degrees was satisfactory, they had "limited confidence" in the institutions quality assurance procedures and systems. Further to this assessment, HEFCW commissioned a further report which found "very real problems of leadership and management" at the university.As a direct result, in December 2008, Lampeter announced that it was in merger talks with Trinity with the intention of forming a new university. This was formally announced in April 2009, when the institutions new name, University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, was revealed. The university received its first students in September 2010. The name of the institution is a combination of Lampeters original name (Saint Davids College) and the name of Trinity University College.

In June 2010, a declaration of intent was announced between Trinity Saint David, Swansea Metropolitan University and three regional further education colleges (Coleg Ceredigion, Coleg Sir Benfro and Coleg Sir Gâr) to establish a South-West Wales regional post-16 further education and higher education educational group. The FE colleges were to merge into one educational group, whilst the HE institutions would merge into another educational group, with both working closely within the region.

In December 2010 it was announced that the university would merge with Swansea Metropolitan University. This merger was completed on 1 August 2013. In May 2011 the university announced it would be establishing the Wales International Academy of Voice in Cardiff, opening in June 2011. In October 2011, it was announced that the University of Wales would also be merged into Trinity Saint David. A deed of union signed in 2017 functionally integrated the two universities, although the full constitutional merger has not been completed as of September 2018.

A London campus was opened in 2012. In August 2012, it was announced that Coleg Sir Gâr, a further education college with five campuses across Carmarthenshire, would be merged with Trinity Saint David, forming a combined higher education and further education institution. In 2015, the university established a second centre in Cardiff with the launch of Canolfan Berfformio Cymru (the Wales Centre for Performance). In 2016, Coleg Ceredigion, another further education college with campuses in Cardigan and Aberystwyth, merged with the university. The university opened a "learning centre" in Birmingham in 2018, offering level 4 (first year undergraduate) courses leading to a Certificate of Higher Education.

The Lampeter campus includes a number of academic, utility and residential buildings.

Charles Robert Cockerell designed the original college building, now called the Saint Davids Building (informally known as Old Building or OB by students) in the centre of the grounds. It is a Grade II* listed building and contains lecture rooms, administrative offices, student residential accommodation and the following three main areas:

The Old Hall was the college dining hall until the Lloyd Thomas refectory was opened in 1969. It then became part of the students union, used as a venue for meetings and dances. After the opening of a new students union building, it fell into disuse until 1991 when it was re-opened after much restoration; it is now used as one of the universitys principal venues for meetings, dinners and conferences and is often hired out to outside organisations. It is also used for examinations and occasional lectures.

The Old Hall also contains paintings of various principals, presidents, benefactors, vice-chancellors et al. including the founder of the University Bishop Thomas Burgess, Maurice Jones, Thomas Price, Llewelyn Lewellin, Edward Harold Browne, Keith Robbins and Brian Robert Morris.

St Davids Chapel was consecrated in 1827. In 1879, it was rebuilt according to the specifications of the architect Thomas Graham Jackson of Cambridge and re-opened on 24 June 1880. It was again refurbished during the 1930s, mainly through the provision of a new reredos (incorporating depictions of St David, Christ and St Deiniol in 1933 and a major overhaul of the organ in 1934. The chapel is provided with a dedicated chaplain and services are held here on Sundays and throughout the week as well as on saints days and major festivals. These are generally well-attended by a mixture of staff, students and alumni.

The Founders Library, named after its founders — Thomas Burgess, Thomas Bowdler and Thomas Phillips — was the Colleges library until the new library opened in 1966 and later housed the priceless collection of the universitys oldest printed books (1470–1850) and manuscripts (the earliest being from the 13th century) unique to the university, given to St Davids College from 1822 onwards, as well as the universitys archives. In 2005, it was announced that a new £700,000 extension, The Roderic Bowen Library and Archives, was to be built adjoining the Main Library to house the universitys manuscripts, as the Founders Library was not environmentally suitable for such valuable documents. This extension to the main library was completed and opened in 2008.

The former Founders Library was subsequently refurbished and was reopened by HRH Charles, Prince of Wales to provide outside conference and seminar facilities.

The Canterbury Building was built to house a growing number of students at the end of the 19th century. The foundation stone was laid by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1885 and the building was officially opened on 24 June 1887. It contained a physical science laboratory, two lecture rooms and new accommodation. However, structural problems forced the university to demolish the original building in the summer of 1971. The second Canterbury Building was opened on 20 October 1973 by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kent and at various times housed the History, Classics, Foundation, Welsh and English departments.

The second Canterbury Building was demolished during 2012, and the third Canterbury Building, opened during the 2012/13 academic year, now houses the Student Services Hub.

The Library was opened on 7 July 1966 by the then Chancellor of the University of Wales, HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. It was extended and then reopened by HRH Charles, Prince of Wales on 21 June 1984.

The Arts Building was built to house the geography department and was opened by The Rt. Hon Peter Thomas, Secretary of State for Wales on 4 October 1971. Currently, the Arts Building houses the School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology and the School of Management, VSS, IT, Business and Tourism as well as the Department of Philosophy.

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