University of Wales, UK

Founded by Royal Charter in 1893, the University of Wales is the degree-awarding body for the majority of higher education students in Wales, as well as for many at other higher education institutions in the United Kingdom and overseas. The University's position enables it to focus not only on its primary functions as a degree-awarding body and provider of services to the Welsh higher education sector but also, as a national institution, on playing an enhanced role in protecting and promoting the economy, culture and language of Wales.

Recently, the University has signed a memorandum of understanding with six of the university institutions in Wales, with whom it will be working closely on collaborative ventures, research groupings and other new initiatives. These institutions are:

• Glyndŵr University
• Swansea Metropolitan University
• University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC)
• University of Wales, Newport
• University of Wales, Lampeter
• Trinity University College

The latter two institutions are set to merge in 2010 to become University of Wales, Trinity St David.

The University is also maintains links with Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, Cardiff University and Swansea University.

The University is also the degree-awarding authority for more than 120 other higher education institutions both within the United Kingdom and overseas, with which it also enjoys close links. Annually, it awards around 15,000 initial degrees and more than 4,000 higher degrees, making it the second largest degree-awarding body in the United Kingdom. The number of students, from all over the world, pursuing University of Wales degrees is around 70,000, and their studies cover a wide range of subjects.

The University is a major national institution in Wales. While it is, of course, committed to helping to fulfil the educational and economic needs of Wales and to supporting its linguistic, cultural, and national heritage, the University is also committed to its international role and to enhancing its standing across the UK and overseas. As well as its validation role and the international projects undertaken by its Global Academy, the University sponsors a number of cultural initiatives, such as the prestigious Dylan Thomas Prize, for young writers, which attracts entries from all over the world.

For further details regarding the University and its validation services, please log on to www.wales.ac.uk/validation or email validation@wales.ac.uk.

 

University of Wales, Bangor

The University of Wales, Bangor has a long tradition of academic excellence that continues to this day. Over half of the departments at Bangor have received an "Excellent" rating for the quality for teaching, and the University's performance in the latest Research Assessment Exercise confirms its status as a world-class research institution.

In recent assessments conducted on behalf of the Government into the quality of research at UK universities, 6 Bangor departments were awarded the top rating of 5 (on a scale of 1 - 5) and 7 departments were rated 4. Ratings of 4 and 5 indicate that research of international importance is conducted.

Bangor University's Business School in the latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), with research in accounting and finance being rated the best in the UK.

Bangor University - ranked 26th in Business Studies based on The Complete University Guide 2009.

University ranked 51st in UK by the Times Good University Guide 2009.

University Validation

Validation is the process by which an awarding institution judges that a programme developed and delivered by another institution is of an appropriate quality and standard to lead to its award." (The Quality Assurance Agency.)

While the majority of the University's students study in Wales, the University•s very successful and highly regarded international validation operation is also an important dimension of its work. This enables overseas institutions to offer the University of Wales degree at an equivalent standard to the degree offered in Wales itself. Validation is important in fostering links between Wales and other countries and many of the University's graduates are now in positions of influence overseas. Last year, more than 19,000 students were registered on validated courses of the University of Wales and nearly 4,000 graduated with the University's degree. Altogether, more than 40,000 students have been awarded degrees since the validation operation began in 1975.