A thriving bilingual environment

The University’s Welsh language strategy advocates that the Welsh language has a place in all aspects of the institution’s work and that staff and students can choose to take advantage and enjoy the opportunity of learning and working in a Welsh and bilingual environment.

Through our continued commitment to the Welsh language and bilingualism within our institution, Bangor University plays an important role in contributing to the growth of the Welsh language socially, culturally and economically, contributing significantly to the Welsh Government’s drive to encourage and support individuals who wish to use Welsh in their daily lives.

72% of the University’s workforce and nearly a quarter of our students have Welsh language skills. During 2021–22, Canolfan Bedwyr reported an increase of 63% in the number of staff learning Welsh and 40 students gained the Welsh Language certificate. Dr Eirini Sanoudaki, Director of Welsh Language Affairs in the School of Arts, Culture and Language and a senior lecturer in linguistics, gained a distinction. Originally from Greece, she credited the work of her Welsh language tutors and the rich bilingual environment at the University as contributors to her success.

The University was appointed to provide expert advice in supporting Welsh Government on its strategy Cymraeg 2050 – A Million Speakers. As part of the tender process, there was an opportunity for the University to present applications for consultancy work in several different fields, including Welsh in education and in the workplace and wider society, as well as more specific areas such as the use of the language by young people, designing behaviour change interventions, language technology and corpus development. Each of these applications was successful.

The Welsh for Adults provision at Bangor – Learn Welsh North West (DCGO) – was given an excellent rating by Estyn, the education and training inspectors in Wales, noting that the University “has a very clear and strong vision for delivering a high–quality service” and that it “focuses on ensuring rich learning experiences in order to support learners’ progress”.

Bangor University is also part of an innovative project being led by the Coleg Cymraeg to create over 130 new digital learning units to support students all over Wales who are studying through the medium of Welsh. The project has created specialist and unique resources to teach a number of popular subjects through the medium of Welsh, from Sport Sciences to Social Sciences. The resources provide learning packs that can be accessed by students at any time, including the highest quality video lectures, reading packs and interactive content for Welsh–speaking students to use, wherever in Wales they are studying.

The University’s translation team in Canolfan Bedwyr anticipated that the nature of meetings would change when Covid–19 restrictions ended and they devised and commissioned digital simultaneous translation equipment with the Zoom platform to facilitate translation in hybrid meetings where some people are present at the meeting and others working remotely. The University is the first institution in Wales to be able to offer such an integrated solution and the Welsh Language Commissioner has published a case study describing this innovative method in order to share best practice.

Our ambition is for the Welsh language to have a place in all aspects of the University’s work and for staff and students to be able to take advantage of and enjoy learning and working in a Welsh and bilingual environment.

Myf.cymru

Having identified a shortage of mental health and wellbeing resources specifically for students through the medium of Welsh. Bangor University in partnership with Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, Aberystwyth University and University of Wales Trinity Saint David launched Myf.cymru through funding by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW).

This mental health and wellbeing resource aimed at Welsh–speaking higher education students studying in Wales and beyond provides information on mental health conditions and tips on health and wellbeing.

Outstanding Contribution to Welsh–medium education award

The Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol celebrated its 10th anniversary and hosted awards for some of the brightest Welsh students and lecturers who made a significant contribution to Welsh and bilingual post–compulsory education in 2021–22.

The Outstanding Contribution to Welsh–medium education award which recognises an individual for their outstanding contribution to higher education beyond their professional role was awarded to Dr Gwenan Prysor, Senior Lecturer in Social Work for leading Bangor’s MA Social Work course which is delivered 100% through the medium of Welsh, and for her work supporting students and workers to learn about the importance of the Welsh language within social work.