University of Wales Trinity Saint David Receives Royal Approval

University of Wales Trinity St David (Photo: Copyright 2010 Independent Ltd)

At the Privy Council meeting held at Buckingham Palace yesterday, 21st July 2010, Her Majesty The Queen, on the recommendation of the Privy Council, approved an Order granting a Supplemental Charter to the University of Wales Lampeter, and directed the Lord Chancellor to apply the Great Seal to the Charter.

This Charter will lead to the establishment of a new University to serve the needs of Wales and the higher education sector in the UK. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David brings together the strengths of University of Wales Lampeter and Trinity University College Carmarthen. This is an historic event which brings together the two oldest academic institutions in Wales to create a radical new model of post-16 education in the region.

Dr Medwin Hughes, Vice-Chancellor, said “This is history in the making. We bring together the two oldest University institutions in Wales, Lampeter established in 1822 and Trinity in 1848. Our new University will be entrusted with the oldest Royal Charter given to any university in England and Wales, apart from Oxford and Cambridge. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David will offer for Wales a new civic university, which will be appropriate for the needs of the nation as it re-defines the role of civic institutions for the 21st Century.

“We acknowledge £14.3 million grant that we have received from the Welsh Assembly Government to establish this institution. This is a clear indication of the confidence and commitment the Welsh Assembly Government has in the vision of the importance of furthering higher education in South West Wales. Over the next few years, this funding will secure the transformational change of both Lampeter and Carmarthen. We have already started on multi-million pounds capital developments which provide first class facilities for students and staff.”

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David will welcome its first students in September.

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Notes to Editors:

For further information please contact: Eleri Beynon at Trinity University College Carmarthen on 01267 676790 or e.beynontrinity-cm.ac.uk| or Jane Norris-Hill at University of Wales Lampeter on 01570 424799 or email j.norris-hilllamp.ac.uk|

For more information on The University of Wales please visit: www.wales.ac.uk|
For press and media information, please contact Tom Barrett, Communications Officer, University of Wales: t.barrettwales.ac.uk|