Welcome messages from the Vice-Chancellor, Provost, and Executive Dean & Head of London campus
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David has an ambitious mission. We aim to transform education in Wales and by doing so, transform the lives of the individuals and communities who are connected to us.
The University’s Royal Charter is the oldest of any university in Wales and England after the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Our Lampeter campus was founded in 1822 and received its Royal Charter from King George IV in 1828. The Carmarthen campus was the first centre for teacher training in Wales established in 1848, and we can also claim one of the first art schools in the UK, established in Swansea in 1853. I am delighted that His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales is our Royal Patron.
We take great pride in our history and our connection to it, particularly in the way that it has provided us with the determination and confidence to shape our own future.
Today, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David is a dynamic and ambitious institution with campuses across three counties in West Wales as well as in the Wales International Academy of Voice in Cardiff in addition to campuses in London and Birmingham.
As Provost of the London Campus and Birmingham Campus, I feel proud and privileged to be at the forefront of the University’s mission to change people’s lives through our education activities at local, regional, and national levels.
What needs to be acknowledged is that in a relatively short time, the London Campus and more recently the Birmingham Campus have successfully embedded themselves into local communities, whilst at the same time transforming the lives of thousands of hard working and aspiring students.
It goes without saying that serving the public and tackling social issues presents a unique and exciting challenge, especially within densely populated, ethnically diverse, and highly competitive cities such as London and Birmingham. In this regard, I believe we can justifiably claim a healthy measure of success. I am confident that the educational and community foundations and cornerstones that we have laid, as well as the standards we have set for our staff and students alike, will reap even greater rewards and recognition as we continue to expand in the years to come.
As the University is celebrating its 200th anniversary, we continue celebrating our strong traditions, as well as focussing on the dynamism and innovation, which we at London, Birmingham, and other corners of the UWTSD have contributed. I look forward to welcoming you to our diverse and ever-expanding learning community.
I am delighted to welcome you to the London campus of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. At the London campus, we have students from all over the world, including European countries, extending to China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Middle East, Africa, South America and many others.
The presence of overseas students is very important to university life, not just from an educational perspective but also in terms of enhanced cultural and social awareness and understanding where all students, including those from the UK, benefit enormously from this interaction. In today’s truly global marketplace we all need the knowledge and ability to work together effectively, and the ‘internationalisation’ of relationships and environments is of benefit to all.
I am very proud of our reputation of providing a caring and supportive learning environment for all of our students, and our success and reputation in this respect continues to be confirmed. I hope very much that you will reflect on your time here at the London campus of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David with pride and satisfaction, and that you will speak of us well when you return home.