Silurian 2013 by University of South Wales

For all former students, staff and friends of the University of Wales, Newport

Issue 32 â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2013

www.newpor t.ac.uk

silurian the

From the Vice Chancellor

...and your Alumni Office

level of engagement with business and the community.

t is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the second edition of Silurian since my appointment as Acting Vice Chancellor in June last year. Many of you will know me from my previous role as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) at Newport. You may know that the University has over the course of many months been facing the prospect of significant change within the Higher Education sector in Wales. This makes it an incredibly interesting time for Newport as we seek to build on 170 years of history. It is a credit to Newport’s position that we have won widespread support for our proposals for a new entrepreneurial university for the region, and as I write this, we are now in the process of creating a brand new institution with the University of Glamorgan, which is due to be launched in April this year and will provide a step-change for Higher Education in South Wales. This edition welcomes Julie Lydon, Vice Chancellor Designate for the New University, to outline our ambitious plans which will build on the strengths and resources of the University of Wales, Newport and the University of Glamorgan to maximise learning opportunities across South East Wales. Looking at the work of our staff, students and graduates during my first nine months in role, I can’t help but be impressed with the excellent activity that goes on across the University. Our links with our alumni and stakeholders is the backbone to much of our work, and I am determined that a new university would continue these excellent relationships and our high

Since the last edition of Silurian was published, we announced and held a consultation on our preferred name for the new institution – The University of South Wales – which saw an overwhelmingly positive response from the 10 stakeholder groups we asked, including staff, students, prospective students, the business community, international partners, alumni and local people. As well as the ongoing plans for our future, it has been an incredibly busy period at Newport. As well as finalising our submission document for Research Degree Awarding Powers – something that is the culmination of many years of hard work by our research staff – we have also developed a tremendously exciting proposal to bring Land Based Studies back to South East Wales. Working with our partners at Coleg Gwent, we are developing a curriculum in this area that will meet a demand for agricultural training in Usk and further develop our geographical presence by expanding our activity in Monmouthshire. The year-long celebration of photography at Newport, which achieved its centenary in 2012, was very successful and has attracted interest from across the world. The celebrations culminated in a fantastic exhibition of photographs from our esteemed alumni, which included some of the world’s most talented photojournalists, documentary photographers and artists. Once again, may I thank you for your continuing support for the University and its work. Amidst the climate of change, we shall continue to strive for excellence and to stay true to our educational values, while never forgetting the importance of our mission to the region. That is a commitment that I am determined will continue as we proceed into a new and exciting future. Professor Stephen Hagen Acting Vice Chancellor

Contents

Welcome

The Agency

elcome to the Spring 2013 Silurian which, as usual, contains a wide range of articles from current events and project news to items on our former students. I am also delighted to include in depth interviews with an Honorary Fellow and a former student, this time with the former Archbishop of Canterbury and the Chief Executive of Monmouthshire County Council. This issue also looks to the future and you can read about some of the positive and exciting changes that we are looking forward to when we merge with Glamorgan University. When we become the new university our readership will quadruple so we may need to review the medium through which we communicate all our stories. However, we have already realised that there are many graduates out there who have attended both institutions! An interesting fact! With this in mind, I should like to ask to all our readers to contact me if you have, indeed, attended both institutions over your lifetime – let us know what you did at Glamorgan and when you were there. This will help us when we look at how and when we can communicate with you in the future to ensure that you continue to receive timely and interesting updates on your University.

12 13 14

Centenary celebrations Living with epilepsy Dr Rowan Williams

Newport’s 12th Isca Duathlon

Paul Matthews

8 9 10

Julie Lydon / the New University Borderwalkers Entrepreneur of the Year

Achieving sporting dreams

18 19 20

Moving Mountains Alumni Noticeboard

Oxfam in Malawi

On a mission in Cambodia

Transforming Pontypool

Events facilities

Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th May 2013 University of Wales, Newport, Caerleon Campus This prestigious two-day conference, hosted by Sean Holley and Shane Williams MBE, will see current rugby professionals from International Rugby, Aviva Premiership, Heineken Cup and the Super Rugby delivering thought-provoking presentations on the changing nature of rugby, with expert recognised facilitators leading seminar sessions. Go to http://www.eventbrite.com/ event/5385919430 to book your place now! Sponsorship opportunities are available for a dinner which will be held at the Celtic Manor Resort after the presentations on 3rd May. For more details please contact Alun Davies, Director of Sport, on 01633 432260 or email alun.davies2@newport.ac.uk

Please keep in touch with the Alumni Office and tell us all your news. Carolyn Jenkins, Alumni Officer T: 01633 432148 E: carolyn.jenkins@newport.ac.uk

Developing creative minds is a recipe for success Last summer the University set up The Agency, an innovative project designed to provide students with valuable entrepreneurial skills. We catch up with Project Manager Mike Caluan to find out how its first eight months has been… “Since its creation in June last year, The Agency has taken on 16 different projects, in which students have had the opportunity to work on live briefs set by local businesses and organisations. I work closely with the students to help them deliver creative projects such as films, photography and advertising for a range of companies. The Agency has had very positive feedback from the clients we have worked with – such as Newport City Council, after three of our students produced a promotional film for Newport Food Festival, one of the highlights of the city’s cultural calendar. Andrew Gough, Samo Chandler and Scott Waller visited restaurants, marketers and local food producers to capture the wealth of culinary choice on offer in the city, putting Newport on the fine dining map of South East Wales – and gaining vital filmmaking experience at the same time. The film also led to them being asked to produce a similar product for the Abergavenny Food Festival.

conversion course at Nash College, now Coleg Gwent’s City of Newport campus, before taking a HNC Public Administration course followed by evening classes in ACCA at the old Gwent College of Higher Education, which later became the University of Wales, Newport. “It was great that I could study part time,” said Paul, who lives in Cwmbran with his wife and two sons. “I had some support from the council but had to back myself as well. “We had a great team of lecturers whose teaching style brought a very human aspect to the course, which brought balance to the fact it was a hard-end professional qualification. It gave me opportunities to build a great network of colleagues and friends too. “One thing I’ve always loved about the University is that it’s for the people – it doesn’t try to be Harvard or MIT; it was designed for the region, where people can’t always afford full time study, but need to access learning in a way that fits into their lives.

Mike Caluan, The Agency Project Manager A completely different project was collaborating with one of the University’s Honorary Fellows and former Olympic athlete Jamie Baulch, to document the work of the Jamie Baulch Academy. He founded the organisation to help inspire more children to take up sport, visiting schools across the UK with other athletes and sportspeople to talk about their careers. The Jamie Baulch Academy has been awarded funding by the Welsh Government to carry out a six-week Olympic Legacy Programme, helping to ensure the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, so I was delighted that The Agency could be a part of such important work. More recently, three of our Film students – Rebecca Howe, Colleen Adams and Natasha Hawthornthwaite – have created three short promotional films for the University’s National Student Survey campaign. The films are designed to encourage our students to fill in the survey and make a difference to the future of their education.

The films, which are humorous and quite tongue-in-cheek, have been very well received so far, especially by Deputy Vice Chancellor Graham Rogers, who is responsible for the University’s learning environment. The Agency has many more exciting projects in the pipeline, including working with the Samaritans, Friends of the Earth and more locally, Newport Gwent Dragons. I’m extremely proud of the success The Agency has seen in such a short space of time, and intend to continue creating opportunities for more students to develop their creativity and employability in the future.”

‘Newport opened doors for me’ As the University approaches its 40year anniversary of teaching ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) courses, we speak to Paul Matthews, Chief Executive of Monmouthshire County Council and one of the thousands of successful Accountancy alumni, about how Newport helped him get on in his career. Originally from Cwmbran, Paul’s first job was at Gwent County Council straight after leaving school. He

admits that he wasn’t the most academic of teenagers: “I was totally disinterested in any sort of further or higher education when I left school,” he said. “I wanted a job and a bit of cash in my pocket. It gradually dawned on me that if I wanted to get on I needed some stronger qualifications, so all change and I decided to go back to college.” He went on to study a BTEC

“It delivers fantastic work-based learning. There’s no way I would have got so far without spending time at the University and having those vital opportunities to build my CV. I am indebted to Newport. “It gave me a wider and stronger conceptual insight into management and leadership as well as accountancy - it made me grow up a bit I suppose. I’ve tried to apply some of the things I learned at Newport in my roles in the public sector. “I’m fierce in my support of the University. I love the fact that it’s got an embedded entrepreneurial zeal and focus on creativity, and it’s always had that. It’s been great to see the development of the new City Campus, which is a positive step towards Newport being a thriving city. We all need the city to succeed and the University is a huge part of that.” For details of Newport’s celebrations of 40 years of ACCA teaching, go to: www.newport.ac.uk/events

prestigious city centre campuses in the region, and it will reach every one of the South East Wales valleys. The new University will be much more than the sum of its parts. It means that here in South Wales we’re going to have moved beyond looking inward and stop being prisoners of our history. Every major industry has seen strategic mergers to create stronger and more competitive companies who can do more. We need to be able to take on the big players, because we are going head to head with them for students across the border, and in the international markets.

‘The University of South Wales will be a major player in the region’ The Silurian talks to Professor Julie Lydon, ViceChancellor Designate of the new University of South Wales.

Tell us about yourself I started my professional life in industry, and I was a director at an engineering company before I came into academia to teach business. It’s given me, I hope, a view of both sides of the business and university spectrum. I was part of the team that went to Mexico last year with the Prime Minister, to represent British business and build links at the G8 summit. That was a fascinating window into how universities are viewed by major employers: it gave me a rare chance to talk at length to my fellow delegates, who represented the senior levels of every field of British industry. They were particularly interested in how we prepare students for the workplace and work with businesses to make sure they have the graduates they need. What does it mean to be Vice Chancellor of a university? Universities are major employers and enterprises in our own right. Higher Education, as an industry, employs 400,000 people across the UK. In Wales our international students alone contribute nearly a quarter

of a billion pounds to the economy and sustain over 9,000 jobs in our communities. The “big five” Welsh universities – Cardiff, Glamorgan, Aberystwyth, Bangor, and Swansea – all have a turnover of over £120m. It’s not big by the standards of universities across the UK, but there aren’t many £120m businesses in Wales. As chief executive of the University of Glamorgan Group I run a business with 2500 staff, six sites, two subsidiary companies, and a turnover of £150m. The New University of South Wales will have a turnover of £185m, which will make us an even more serious enterprise. Frankly, it’s a relief that we’re going into a stronger position because our market is going through a seismic shift. The Times Higher Education Supplement, the Financial Times of our industry, reported last September that “every university outside Oxbridge is feeling the pain” of what is happening in the market for students. This has affected universities at every point in the market. The combined result of new fees, demographic

changes, and changes to the HE market in England is that across the UK there were 54,000 fewer applicants looking to go to university through clearing. Whether this is a blip, the start of a trend, or a permanent correction in the market only time will tell. But this wider change is for the long term. What does it mean for us at Newport? The creation of a larger, modern combined institution means we’ll be able to offer new courses as well as existing ones, with enhanced access to learning and teaching facilities, and as the largest university of its type in the region we’ll be better able to build employability skills into all programmes of study through stronger links with industry. Is that why we’re merging? We intend to become a single university to beef up our ability to compete. We will be the university that bridges our cities and valleys in South East Wales. We will have a university whose regional footprint stretches from Bridgend to Usk, Ebbw Vale to Barry. With the sole exception of Cardiff University, it will have all of the

What would you say to people who question the value of Universities? Firstly, applied research for real decisions. The full worth of academic research lies in doing more than simply increasing the sum of human knowledge for its own sake. Investment in research reaps its reward in the continuing education of public service managers, police officers, clinical experts and policymakers. For every discovery of a new drug cure, further and complementary research is needed on the best way to make it accessible through the NHS drugs budget. A large, professional university like the University of South Wales will have the scope and scale to bring together researchers across the disciplines, for example experts in community development, health policy, criminology and public service reform to address the regeneration of the Valleys. Secondly, we get people into jobs and improve their careers. Universities provide huge numbers of the workforce. Successful universities need to understand employers, and make sure that the courses we offer are what they need, and we want to build on the valuable links that both the University of Wales, Newport and the University of Glamorgan have with employers as we move forward into the new institution. And thirdly, as Silurian readers know, we can literally transform people’s lives. Universities are not simply an economic generator of wealth, or

a cog in the governmental growth machine, or a link in the economic chain. It’s true to say that we offer people a route into the jobs market and equip them with the specific skills to build and develop their careers in a particular field. But we have a deeper function too. We mould not just the business statistics but also the minds that lead those businesses. You can call this entrepreneurialism, or adaptability, or willingness to embrace change. Graduates going into the world need to deal optimistically and flexibly with the changes that evolving markets and a rapidly moving world bring. University education sharpens the ability to react and shape events. It’s about more than simply surviving. What benefits will graduates from the new university see? Whether they’ve studied the arts or business, humanities or sciences, we want our graduates to enter the professional world with the healthy scepticism and flexibility of thought that we hone through a university education. But not every capable person gets the chance to go to university, and that’s where we come in. You don’t have to go to the heads of the valleys, where the UHOVI project we lead has brought over a thousand people into higher education in the last two years. There are areas of our own cities outside the leafy suburbs where students traditionally have suffered the same barriers to accessing higher education as the valleys. These barriers are financial, they are geographical, and in many cases they are not just to do with awareness and ambition, but the availability of university campuses. You need size and scale to make the investment to expand. One recent student told me that “Doing this course has opened my eyes to so many possibilities. Three years ago, I never thought there would be so much I wanted to do with my life.” University had unlocked her potential, and it does so for thousands of others. That’s worth very much more than simply the bottom line.

Keiran Rae and Arjun Bhogal

Intrepid graduates walk 10,000 miles across the globe Friends and fellow Newport graduates Keiran Rae and Arjun Chogal made the life-changing decision to travel halfway around the world for charity – entirely on foot. Graphic designer Keiran and filmmaker Arjun met as students and have embarked on Borderwalk, a hugely ambitious challenge of walking the 10,000 miles from Cardiff, Wales to Cardiff, Australia. We catch up with them to see how their epic adventure has been, almost a year on… “The idea of Borderwalk came to us during our final year at Newport University, when we decided to do something totally unique to try and inspire people to make a difference. We’re just two ordinary idiots who aren’t particularly outdoorsy, attempting to travel across 15 countries – 10,000 miles – to the other side of the world, on foot. We originally worked out that it would take the best part of three years and are working hard to try and stick to that.

We set off on 1st April 2012 and hope to finish around Christmas 2015. The whole journey will see us crossing pretty demanding areas such as the Eastern European forests, Kazakhstan plains, Taklamakan desert, Tibetan Plateau, Himalayas, Burmese jungle and the east Australian coast to finish in Cardiff, New South Wales, Australia. Carrying all our own equipment, camping and sourcing our food and water locally will help us to immerse ourselves in the cultures we encounter and see how other communities are dealing with our ever-changing world. The aim of this project is to raise £25,000 for WaterAid and the Marine Conservation Society, while also producing a documentary raising awareness of environmental and water related issues. The charities involved have been incredibly supportive and we hope to visit some of the areas they work in,

to understand how our fundraising efforts will enable both organisations to continue to deliver their valuable work. We’re on the road for up to 10 hours a day, seven days a week, stopping wherever we can find internet to update our blog and upload videos of the places we visit and the people we’ve met, and sometimes the surreal situations we find ourselves in. These moments, as well as the people we meet, really help us to keep going, along with the support we receive from friends and family. Over the past 11 months we have travelled through mainland Europe and are currently in Russia heading towards Asia. It’s been a rocky road so far but we have made so many friends along the way, which has given us the determination to finish the journey and reach our fundraising target.” To find out more about Borderwalk and track their journey, visit www.borderwalk.co.uk To sponsor Keiran and Arjun, visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ borderwalk

Ryan Welch (centre) collects his award from the University’s Enterprise team

Newport Photography graduate named University Entrepreneur of the Year A former student who set up his own wedding photography business while studying at Newport has been named as the University’s Graduate Entrepreneur for 2012. Ryan Welch, 21, graduated last September from the Photography for Fashion and Advertising course and used his time at University to set up Ryan Welch Photography, a specialist wedding photography business based at his studio in Cwmbran. The growth of his firm over the last few years means that he is already well established in his chosen industry, despite being such a recent graduate. He was presented with the award at the University’s fifth Enterprise Dinner and Awards, an event showcasing the success of Newport’s Bright Ideas programme, which supports budding student and graduate entrepreneurs with funding and advice. The Bright Ideas Den, which is supported financially by local entrepreneur and University supporter Dr Alf Gooding OBE, gives students and graduates the chance to pitch for funding of up to £1,000 to support them in setting up in business.

Over the last year, it has supported 12 businesses financially, including Ryan Welch Photography and many more through expert advice and guidance. The Bright Ideas Programme also holds regular events and business surgeries for budding entrepreneurs. Ryan Welch said: “This award was totally unexpected but really appreciated. To get recognition for what you’ve done really helps you to continue to develop your ideas. “When I decided to set up the business, I had taken over the premises and refurbished it into a studio, but unfortunately I had run out of money before being able to buy signage and promotional materials. “It was absolutely fantastic to win the Bright Ideas Den as the money came at exactly the right time, and I was able to have the signage and marketing that I wanted, giving the right impression to potential clients straight away.” “My advice to others is to get help with key aspects of the business from the start, as there is lots of free support available from the University and the Graduate Start-up Support Programme. You also need to accept that you won’t

sleep properly for a very long time!” Emma Forouzan, who runs the Bright Ideas Programme added: “Ryan rightly deserves praise for his achievements. We were impressed with his dedication in building the business alongside his studies, so he was ready to take his business to the next level on graduation. This shows his zeal and determination as both a creative and a businessman and is why we felt Ryan deserved this Award. “We are rightly proud at Newport of the work that we do to support entrepreneurship amongst our students and graduates, and Ryan and the other graduate businesses involved in these awards will serve as great examples to future entrepreneurs at the University and beyond.” Professor Stephen Hagen, the University’s Vice Chancellor said: “We are delighted to have recognised Ryan’s achievements and that of so many other Newport graduates who are making a real difference to the local economy. As an entrepreneurial university, it is important that we help to foster ideas and support our students and graduates as they come up with ideas for businesses.”

Aled Sion Davies MBE

All images copyright: Dennett/Lane/Matthews/Nash/Noonan/Severs/Youlden/Disability Sport Wales/ University of Wales, Newport.

Inspiring people with disabilities to achieve their sporting dreams Students at the University of Wales, Newport have teamed up with Disability Sport Wales to help encourage more children with disabilities to take part in sport. 10

The final year Photography for Fashion and Advertising students are creating a new advertising campaign for the organisation to use via social media channels Facebook and Twitter, as well as the Disability Sport Wales (DSW) website. Eight groups of students pitched their initial ideas to the judging panel – including DSW Executive Director Jon Morgan; Disability Sport Development Officer for Newport, Stephen McGrath; and Geraint Cunnick, Senior Lecturer in Photography at the University – before developing their projects further and formally presenting them at the City Campus.

The partnership was made possible through contacts in the University’s Development and Alumni Office, which helps secure support and sustainable development income for the University by maintaining its great relationships with a wide range of external businesses and charities. Each group was tasked with creating a company name and branding, as if they were a real advertising design agency, and write a detailed presentation on how they would develop and implement their campaign, using a promotional video, photographs and social media pages.

Josie Pearson

This group of students set up ‘Inspiring Sports Foundation’

The students worked alongside community sports groups across Wales, who coach a wide range of sports such as gymnastics, wheelchair basketball, swimming, horse riding, wheelchair rugby and cycling among others, incorporating adults and children with disabilities as well as able-bodied youngsters in their videos and images.

involved have worked with one of Wales’ largest not-for-profit organisations to produce comprehensive photography, video and branding for a range of the client’s activities. “Disability Sport Wales have been very generous in their support of this and I know that the experience on both a professional and personal level will stay with many of these students for some time to come.

“This has been a really They developed their positive experience” projects around a number of different concepts, such as showing a child’s progression from being a novice sportsperson to an elite athlete, demonstrating the fun and camaraderie that children can enjoy in sport, and showing how accessible sports can be to children and young people of all abilities. Geraint Cunnick, Senior Lecturer in Photography at the University of Wales, Newport, said: “This has been a really positive experience and the students

“The Photography for Fashion and Advertising programme has an agenda to prepare its students for their first steps into the Creative Industries and ‘live-projects’ such as this, with sustained involvement in industry, and reporting to a high profile client is a very effective means to begin the kind of professional conversations that furnish a successful career.”

Speaking about the formal presentations, Jon Morgan, Executive Director for Disability Sport Wales said: “I was really impressed by all the presentations and the commitment and attention to detail by the students. “They are working in a completely new sector and the way in which they have approached the project, researched it and strived to give their best, is great to see. “The groups have all come up with concepts around aspects of disability sport, and that is to their credit.” To find out how the University can work in partnership with your business, contact Penny Jarman on 01633 432918 or email penny.jarman@newport.ac.uk

their studies and get a degree, even if they’ve got epilepsy,” says Jade. “They contacted me and said they’d like to feature my story on a press release as part of the campaign, called ‘Everyone knows Someone’, which was a really pleasant surprise. Then, on the same day that they sent out the press release, they called me to say that ITV wanted to cover the story on Daybreak the next morning!

Photographic Art graduate Jade Dolby is on a mission to raise awareness of epilepsy after being diagnosed with the condition halfway through her studies.

my work from all the medical appointments and spending time in hospital, that I eventually decided to restart my final year in September 2011.”

“I got straight on a train to London with my mum – I try not to go very far on my own, in case I have a seizure. I was interviewed with a nurse called Kirsten, who explained the medical side of epilepsy, then I spoke about my experience of living with it; how my friends and family reacted to my diagnosis, that sort of thing. I was also interviewed on BBC Radio Wales which was fantastic.

The 23-year-old, who has just started a 16-week graduate internship at

Jade received help and support from Student Services, who arranged for

“I’m willing to do anything to help with campaigns such as these which

the University after gaining a 2:1 last September, is determined to teach people more about epilepsy and dispel the myths surrounding it.

her to have a support tutor to help with assignments and taking notes in lectures.

raise awareness of epilepsy. The ignorance I’ve met along my journey is unbelievable, so I’ve decided that everyone should know about it.

Photographic Art graduate Jade Dolby

Helen Rimell captured this view of Shikara boats in India

Worldwide talent celebrates centenary of photography Photographers from all over the world who started their careers after studying in Newport returned to the University as part of a special alumni celebration. To mark 100 years of Photography at Newport, the prestigious Alumni Photography Exhibition was launched at City Campus to celebrate the work of many successful alumni photographers. The exhibition, which took pride of place in the gallery at the awardwinning City Campus, features the images of some of the key figures in contemporary photography, demonstrating the significant influence Newport has had on the industry. The event was attended by acclaimed photographers such as David Hurn, who established the awardwinning Documentary Photography course at the University in 1973; Anastasia Taylor Lind, whose portrait and documentary work has been exhibited at galleries worldwide;

former Newport lecturer Pete David, whose large format work in advertising, fashion and more recently landscapes have won him several awards; among many more well-known photographers.

Annebella Pollen, whose research focuses on mass-participation photography; Ben Burbridge, who discussed exhibitionism; and Sarah James, who has researched humanist photojournalism.

As well as the launch of the exhibition, attendees took part in a two-day symposium which studied the past, present and future of photography. Speakers included

To find out more about the centenary celebrations that took place throughout 2012, go to the 100 Years of Photography website: 100yearsofphotography.newport.ac.uk

“It’s so important that people are better informed about epilepsy,” says Jade. “Being diagnosed does not mean that life as you know it stops at that moment – you can still go on to achieve anything you put your mind to.” Jade suffered her first seizure in August 2010, when she fell down some steps in the garden, and was diagnosed with epilepsy the same day. Doctors are still not sure what caused it, as symptoms can come on in some people without warning. “I was just about to start my final year in University so I told my tutors, who suggested I take some time off but I was determined to carry on,” she says. “But then I got so far behind on

“I often have memory lapses which can really affect my learning – sometimes I’ll miss huge chunks of conversations, and in this case lectures, so it was great to have that support.” After being diagnosed, Jade did as much research as she could from sites such as Young Epilepsy and the Epilepsy Society. Then earlier this year she noticed that both charities were collaborating with River Island for the ‘Everyone knows Someone’ campaign, raising awareness of the condition among people aged 25 and younger by giving out free wristbands to online shoppers. “Young Epilepsy were asking for people affected by the condition to tell their story, so I sent them mine – I wanted to tell people that it is possible to continue

“People can literally save lives if they have just basic first aid skills and a little more knowledge about epilepsy.” She adds: “Looking back, I used to have frequent concentration and memory lapses during my teens, which could have been epilepsy presenting itself, but at the time I didn’t put it down to anything other than being a scatty teenager. “Epilepsy has changed certain things – I won’t be able to drive until I’ve been seizure-free for a year, and if I have a big seizure I just need to sleep for a long time afterwards. “But I’m so glad I took a break from studying as I could concentrate on my health, get in control of my condition and come back stronger.”

“More and more as the years went on, I became very involved in development related issues, especially in countries such as Zimbabwe and Sudan,” he says. “There are so many people who feel they don’t have very much representation, and I was able to take their issues right to the UK Government. “I remember taking the Archbishop of Sudan to Downing Street in 2008 to speak to the then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, about poverty and it just helps people to have a door into places like that. “He was very passionate about such issues as development, and he agreed to come and speak to all the Bishops and Anglican Church – an audience of about 1,000 – and gave what I think was one of the great speeches of his career.

“I’m proud of my association with Newport” Honorary Fellow Dr Rowan Williams stepped down as Archbishop of Canterbury late last year after 10 years in charge of the Anglican Church. Here he tells us about his colourful career – including having tea and biscuits with the Pope, and finding out he had the top job after reading it in the newspaper… 14

After studying Theology at University, Rowan taught at Cambridge during the 1970s before being ordained as a priest in 1977. “I’d always hoped to be ordained, but I was also very interested in theology, history and literature and wanted to teach and write,” says Rowan, who was born in Swansea to a Welsh-speaking family. “When we moved back to Swansea in 1961 I discovered a lovely parish church, which did a great deal for me over the years. The great thing about my time there was the feeling that instead of the church being a narrow place to be, it’s where all the exciting things took place. “We had a wonderful parish priest that took us very seriously. I’ve been very much blessed in always being able to teach and write alongside being a priest. “It’s the feeling of being able to introduce another generation to

a subject that gives you joy and excitement – it’s opening up a world to people.” After 10 years as Bishop of Monmouth, and Archbishop of Wales for two years, Rowan was unexpectedly called up to take on the most important role in the Anglican Church – but the announcement was a little unconventional. “I remember my chaplain calling me at 6am and saying, ‘you probably ought to look at The Times,’ and to my astonishment I’d been named as the next Archbishop of Canterbury,” he says. “The newspaper had leaked the news before I was informed by the Church, and I had no idea whether it was true or not. For several days nobody wanted to confirm it, then thankfully I was told that I had in fact been given the job.” Rowan’s life changed overnight, with his new work commitments often taking him away from wife Jane and children

“So many people have said how much of a difference he made. He didn’t have a script and spoke with huge moral passion about it all. That moment was one of the highlights of my time as Archbishop of Canterbury.” Pip and Rhiannon. He also had his fair share of controversies to deal with – the debate surrounding gay marriage and female bishops, to name just two. “Being Archbishop of Canterbury brings a worldwide responsibility, which took a bit of getting used to,” he says. “You become a sort of ‘rent-a-quote’ for the press, and as much as I tried to avoid that, people do put a lot of pressure on you to share your views on all manner of things.

Rowan had the opportunity to meet many influential figures all over the world during that time – including Pope Benedict XVI, who recently announced he was to retire at the end of February. “Meeting the Pope during his visit to London was another big moment in my career,” he adds. “I was impressed by the way in which, in spite of all the anxieties surrounding his visit, he found a way of speaking very directly and movingly to people, and managed to win a lot of people around.

“I remember having him to tea, where he met my family and had shortbread with us. It was quite a surreal moment for us all but an experience I’ll treasure.” Rowan became an Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales, Newport in 2000, and looks back on his time living in Newport very fondly. “Jane and I had a wonderful 10 years in Newport and my children still think of themselves as Newport citizens,” he says. “We fell completely in love with the place, thanks to the wonderful warmth of the people there. “My association with what was then the Gwent College of Higher Education was of great interest because I watched it develop into gaining University status. I also served on the Board of Governors and opened one of the learning outlets in Tredegar. “What impresses me about the University is that it is totally plugged in to the community; really taking it seriously and working at enabling people to access Higher Education. “I’m really very proud of my involvement and I really value my association with the University.” Now settling in to his new role as Master of Magdalene College in Cambridge, Rowan hopes to emulate Newport’s commitment to widening access. “So many people think that it’s impossible to think about getting into Cambridge, and I would like to help break down those barriers and encourage people to work towards achieving the best education they can.”

“One of the challenges early on was when I was asked by universities, charities or parliamentary groups to give a talk on a subject that I didn’t always know a great deal about. In those situations I would sit down and do some research, and try to take the discussion forward a bit.” During his decade as Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan spoke on various issues that he felt strongly about, such as prison reform and the difficulties of armed conflict in Africa.

terrified. I had only flown once before and with such a long flight ahead of me – over 11 hours – I just couldn’t wait to be on firm ground again!” While in Malawi Abbie met two families who are living very different lives – a couple with three children who had already received help from Oxfam, and a single mum who was yet to start receiving support from the project.

Life-changing trip helps Psychology student witness charity work in action Psychology student Abbie Viveash has been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit an African community to see exactly how Oxfam has helped the people there. Abbie, a third-year student from Cwmbran, visited Malawi after being chosen to feature in an advertising campaign for the charity called ‘See For Yourself’. She spent 10 days in the village of Chiradzulu finding out how one of Oxfam’s community projects is helping families and individuals to lead sustainable lives and grow their way out of poverty. After filling in an online questionnaire about her views on charity, Abbie – who is studying the BPS (British Psychological Society) accredited degree course – was selected from a UK-wide search for people to find out how their donations are spent. Although she isn’t an Oxfam supporter, the charity chose Abbie in the hope that it could offer a ‘no holds barred’ account of the experience. The former psychiatric nurse and mum-of-five said: “I had just finished my second year of university and was at a loose end, so out of boredom I

clicked on an advert on Facebook, thinking it was a holiday competition, but was actually a link to the Oxfam campaign. “I then found myself answering a series of questions. Oxfam asked me to be honest in my answers and I have to say I was quite blunt! I submitted the questionnaire and promptly forgot all about it.” To her astonishment, Oxfam called Abbie, who was a self-confessed charity cynic, two weeks later and asked her to come to Oxford for an interview, before offering her the chance to go with their team to Malawi. A film crew followed Abbie before, during and after the trip to make a series of adverts, which were shown on TV as well as Oxfam’s website as part of the campaign. “When I first heard I had been chosen to go on the trip I was in complete shock and total disbelief,” said Abbie. “I had never left my kids before, so it was such a wrench for me to go away for so long, but they supported me totally because it was such an amazing opportunity. “As I got to Heathrow Airport I was

Abbie said: “The first family, Harold and Fatuma and their three children, lived in a small mud hut with the added luxuries of furniture and a tin roof. “They were given money and resources, such as tools, seeds and fertiliser, from the Oxfam project to grow their own tomato crops, and after harvesting their first crop their income has increased five-fold. This showed me that a small amount of money donated consistently can help these people to help themselves. “The second family – single mum Effinessi and her seven children – all live in a badly-thatched mud hut with no furniture and a bees nest in one corner. Effinessi had divorced her husband while she was pregnant with her seventh child because she was fed up of him beating her, but she was now surviving by harvesting maize on a small plot of land to make enough food to feed her family. “Soon enough it was time for me to return home and reflect on my time in Malawi. I still think about the people there and their powerful resilience – they have so little compared to us in the UK but they truly value each other. “Having been there and witnessed the difference a small amount of money can make to these people, that it does make a difference. It might seem small but to the villagers it is everything. It’s not giving them money; it’s giving them the tools and the knowhow to help themselves.” To find out more about Abbie’s experience during Oxfam’s See for Yourself campaign, go to http://www. oxfam.org.uk/what-we-do/see-foryourself-Abbie

Student Gabriella Lewis meets a local boy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Student helps Asian girls and women to escape the sex trade A final year Film & Video student has worked with an international charity in Cambodia to help free girls and young women from sex trafficking. Gabriella Lewis, who is a Student Ambassador for the University and is part of Newport’s Christian Union, flew out to the South East Asian country with Elim International Missions. The Christian organisation runs the Freedom Project, a mission to help young girls, women and even boys who find themselves being used and brutally exploited by being sold into the sex trade. Along with friend and fellow Newport student Hannah Beer, Gabriella is making a documentary film for the charity about the dangers of sex trafficking and how preventative measures can be put in place to stop more children and young people getting drawn into it. “It’s a subject I’ve been passionate about for a long time, after going to seminars

on sex trafficking in Wales and the rest of the world,” says Gabriella. “So I contacted Elim International Missions and asked if there was any way I could help promote their work.” The charity were thrilled with the idea and offered Gabriella and Hannah flights out to Cambodia in January this year, with a group of women from Lifelink, another Elim project which enables women to make a difference globally as well as locally through the Church. There they visited projects that have been established in the city of Phnom Penh to rescue girls from sex trafficking and teach them valuable skills such as making and selling arts and crafts. Nothing could have prepared Gabriella and Hannah for the poverty they witnessed during their time in Phnom Penh – especially when they spotted a 10-year-old girl called Pon, who was selling handmade bracelets on the streets at night to pay for her

own education. “The money she makes from selling her bracelets goes straight to her family. Because they are so poor, they will sell the child into the sex trade often innocently because they believe they are sending them to a better life.” Gabriella and Hannah aim to finish the film by the summer, and hope that it will provide a springboard for their chosen careers in filmmaking. “We’re also hoping to enter it into film festivals and get on the radar of other charities and organisations,” says Gabriella. “I would love to go back to Cambodia and see more projects – the missionaries out there are so selfless and passionate about preventing this terrible industry from thriving.” For more information on the work of Elim International Missions, go to www.elimmissions.co.uk

Students raise funds for trip of a lifetime to Africa

GEARING UP FOR NEWPORT’S 12TH ANNUAL ISCA DUATHLON This year sees the 12th annual Isca Duathlon, a gruelling challenge of an 8km run and 14km cycle race from the University’s Caerleon campus to Llangybi, near Usk and back again. Taking place on Sunday 7th April, the unique event has seen thousands of competitors take part over the years and has gained a reputation as a friendly, well-organised landmark in Newport’s sporting calendar. We talk to one of this year’s competitors, Rick Ellwood, who has undergone major spinal surgery and an intense recovery process to take on his toughest venture yet. The 38-year-old police officer, who lives in Risca with his wife and two children, had battled back problems for the past 20 years but had always managed to deal with it through painkillers and regular exercise. Then at the end of November last year, he slipped on the stairs at home and felt a painful jolt in his back. After a few days the pain eased, until a simple sneeze cause another, bigger spasm of pain through his spine. “I’m a very active person and just got on with things as much as I could – I hadn’t had a sick day in about 12 years because of my back,” said Rick.

“But this time was completely different. I’d never felt pain like it and had to go straight to hospital. I was given gas and air as well as morphine, which was a very strange experience for me as I’d never needed such strong pain relief before.” After a few hours Rick was allowed home, but later that night was horrified to realise that he was unable to go to the toilet. He was advised by NHS Direct to go straight back to hospital, as the effects of his pain relief could have caused complications. “I had an MRI scan and the consultant referred me to the University Hospital of Wales that night for an operation. The scary thing was how quickly they needed to act – I only had a matter of hours before the damage to my back caused serious damage to my nerve endings.” Rick was diagnosed with Cauda Equina Syndrome, a serious neurological condition which affects the spinal cord and can cause urinary retention and muscle weakness in the legs. His surgery involved a partial laminectomy and discectomy – removal of part of the spinal bone and the prolapsed disc which had compressed the nerves to his bladder. After three days of complete bed rest

Volunteers from Moving Mountains Kenya and Nepal with students and staff of the University of Wales, Newport who are planning to fly out to Africa next June.

and having to use a catheter, Rick finally returned to normal.

doorstep, so it was the perfect way to get active again.

“Being able to use the toilet was a relief, in more ways than one!” he said. “I was worried about all sorts of things – how my wife would have to look after the kids by herself, being off work, and of course whether the surgery had prevented further damage to the nerve endings in my back.”

“Every week I do a 5k run and some interval training, and I’ve just bought a new bike that I can’t wait to start training on. I feel better than I have done for a long time – it’s remarkable to think that a few months ago I could barely walk, and now I feel fit enough to take on the Isca Duathlon!”

Before being taken ill, Rick had planned to compete in a triathlon. Then, when he heard about the University’s duathlon event and realised it could help his recovery, he signed up straight away.

Rick started writing a blog to document his progress, which has had more than 1,000 views and has attracted visitors from as far as Ireland, Germany, America, Australia, Peru and Panama.

He started training by walking around the rugby field close to his home, but even small amounts of exercise would leave him feeling exhausted.

“I’ve found that the blog has really helped to motivate me and given me something to focus on during the hard times,” he said. “The internet is littered with horror stories from people with back pain, and there aren’t enough success stories from people who have overcome it.

Rick slowly built up his fitness over the next six weeks, swimming sets of 10 lengths at his local pool and going for short runs. Now he tries to exercise every day and is seeing big improvements. “I’ve been working on strengthening my core muscles and building myself up,” he said.

“This is my way of trying to do something positive from what I’ve been through, and let people know that back pain does not mean the end of the world. If I can do it, anyone can.”

“The duathlon was the first event of the year that I thought I had a chance of being able to finish, and it’s on my

To keep up to date with Rick’s progress vitit: http://optotri. blogspot.co.uk

Youth and Community Work students at the University are on a mission to raise £5,000 for the trip of a lifetime to Africa this summer. The students are planning a twoweek trip to Kenya to work with the Moving Mountains charity, which helps set up long-term sustainable projects across the East African country as well as Nepal and Borneo. Students will see several projects including working with children in Ulamba Orphanage and the Embu Rescue Centre for street children. They will be expected to use their youth and community work skills in these projects and engage with a wide range of young people in various activities while working with the charity. A team of volunteers from the Moving Mountains Trust visited the University to tell students on the BA (Hons) Youth and Community Work degree about the social welfare, educational and health projects it funds in developing countries. The students heard how the charity aims to provide relief of hardship and inequality for children and adults through training, medical treatment, sport and employment, and how they will be working with

young people in communities during their visit in June this year. Emma Chivers, Senior Lecture in Youth and Community Work at the University of Wales, Newport, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to see community work from a global perspective, and help inform their work with young people, individuals and families locally. “By seeing first-hand the projects developed by Moving Mountains, our group will be able to help young people to gain an understanding of poverty and its impact locally and globally.” Michael Evans, Moving Mountains Trust Co-ordinator, added: “We really appreciate the opportunity to form a great partnership with the University of Wales, Newport. I know the students will have a fantastic time in Kenya, and I hope their visit will provide a very different perspective on their studies.” The students will be hosting fundraising events over the coming months to help raise the £5,000 they need to fly out to Kenya and cover their accommodation costs. If you can help, please contact Emma Chivers on emma.chivers@newport.ac.uk

Alumni Notice Board Notice Board

Rebecca Notley 2007 Graphic Design

Margaret Isaac Lecturer in English and Drama at Caerleon, from 1961 – 1996

Jack David PGCE 2011

Whilst studying for a PGCE between 2009 and 2011 Jack David launched a Football Academy across South Wales for all age groups. Jack has previous experience of being involved as a player and as a coach / manager in a variety of environments, from grassroots to professional level. Jack has operated seven squads of all ages over the past three years including a women’s and a disability team. JD Football Academy currently works alongside councils, sport initiatives, and National governing bodies trying to develop youngsters not just through football, but through education as well. The academy is also working closely with many Primary and Secondary schools with the aim of increasing participation and playing opportunities for all ages and abilities. Since Jack graduated in 2011the JD Football Academy has expanded widely across the regions of Wales developing football in local communities and professional environments. In Jack’s spare time he works as a model, working with a variety of clients and being involved in Mister Wales. Jack also plays bowls for Pontyfelin in Pontypool, is currently playing for the Eastern Valley District Team, County u25s, county championship team, and has been selected for the Wales Academy U25s squad. Jack is currently on the professional bowls circuit competing in World tournaments and to play on the T.V.

A to A Design Consultancy Once upon a time back in 2006, the great Rob Mason - Senior Lecturer of BA (Hons) Graphic Design stood before us as a group of budding design wannabes and said, “This industry is tough! You will apply for 100 design jobs, receive feedback from 10 and will be lucky to secure 1 job.” Those words have never left me and led me to place myself in numerous work experience opportunities during my final year, teamed up with my degree I believe I had the edge needed to secure that first job. I began my career straight away as a junior graphic designer for a global company executing projects and controlling all aspects of design, marketing and brand development. I then branched off to set up A To A Design Consultancy. Since my company’s conception in 2009 we have headed up and collaborated on a number of design and development projects. These include music, automotive, childcare and communications sectors offering expertise in the field of Design, Development, Marketing and Online Business Development. We offer our clients a coordinated and confident approach in all areas and disciplines of the design process. We love to meet new people and business owners to get to know them and develop the right look and feel for their business. For discounted rates on our products and services please quote Silurian0413. A To A Design Consultancy Email: enquiries@atoadesign.co.uk Tel: 07707 221 622 www.atoadesign.co.uk

Margaret remembers her time at Newport fondly. She has always loved the Welsh folklore stories and the College published her first book, ‘Tales of Gold’ in 1991. It was later published by the National Trust. Most recently Margaret has written a beautiful book about the story of Arthur and the Twrch Trwyth, one of eleven medieval Welsh tales known as the Mabinogion. The story was first recorded in the Red Book of Hergest, 1382, and is the first known written record of King Arthur. Margaret sets her version of the hunt in the context of Culhwch and Olwen another traditional Welsh tale and her fluid style captures all the energy and humour of the original tale. She also spends her time visiting Primary schools in Wales bringing all these old Welsh stories to life through art and drama. You can see more of Margaret’s work at www.welshstories.com James Clarke Graphic Design 1995 After building and running a digital agency for 14 years, designing for clients such as Microsoft, Nokia, British Airways, Oxford University Press and Oxfam, James set up a Typography Blog called Type Worship (http://typeworship.com), which now has international notoriety and 22,000 followers.

Os hoffech chi ddarllen Y Silwriad yn Gymraeg cyrchwch: www.newport.ac.uk/alumni a dewis y newyddion diweddaraf. If you would like to read the Silurian in Welsh please visit: www.newport.ac.uk/alumni and choose latest news.

Does anyone remember Eric Lawrence? Sadly Eric passed away in January 2012. He was the Registrar for the Newport Art College in Clarence Place about 28 years ago. His wife is looking for a booklet that was published every year and contained staff photos, so if anyone can help then please contact the Alumni Office. David Smith BSc Business Administration 1998 David is living in New Zealand and is interested in where other Alumni are based, so here is a little idea, We currently have 900 Alumni actively engaged with us living outside the UK. In terms of numbers, from highest to lowest this is where they are: India, China, Pakistan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Europe, U.A.E and the rest of the world. So, David, it is only you and a 1998 Graduate living in New Zealand as far as we know. Katherine Vakili BSc Accounting & Law, 2012 I thoroughly enjoyed my three years at Newport. I found the staff to be always helpful and approachable and the services offered to be of high standard. I had fulltime employment lined up before even finishing my final exams, working as a consultant for a private financial services firm, and I could not be more pleased. Mohd Nasruddin (Dean) HND CAE 1995 ~ 1997 I was among the 1st batch of Malaysian students to study in Newport in 1996. I am visiting the University again on 3 June 2013. It would be great to see some of my fellow classmates and also my mentor Dr Clive Day (Grandpa). David Morgan Teacher Training 1953 I would very much like to get in touch with Mansel Llewellyn. I noticed his name on the invite list to the 1950s reunion last year. One little memory for you, in the mid 1950s maths lecturer Mr Jenkins turned up in a very small motor car and parked it outside the entrance door to the building. The following morning it was gone.... to be found in the main hall, it had been dismantled and reassembled during the night. Ifor Gwyn Thomas Teacher Training 1944 - 46 In September last year I visited Ifor at

his home in Aberdare, he told me lots of happy stories of his days in college. I was astounded at how much impact two years study can have on a person’s life, and that they remember so much detail. Ifor gave me a college blazer for our collection and recalled the story of the fabric, the last of its type in a shop in Newport. Two blazers were made and Ifor and his friend felt like royalty wearing them about town. If you have any items from your days here we would be delighted to give them a safe home at the University. Please contact Carolyn in the Alumni Office. Alan Eveleigh Teacher training 1962 – 1965 Alan has kindly supplied us with many photos of his time here and he recently sent in these little gems.

Bowls Team 1962-63

Ladies for the Rag Queen selection 1965 1950s reunion It was a pleasure to welcome the former students from the 1950s back to campus last summer. As this reunion spanned a decade many had not met each other before but with their shared experiences of college days and lifetimes teaching you would not have known.

Obituaries Ken Hayward Teacher Training, 1950 Ken Hayward sadly passed away last November. His daughter, Alison writes, “He would have loved to have been at the 1950s reunion. He remembered Richard Ghee, know as Dicky Ghee. He enjoyed being an Alumnus of the college as he had fond memories of his college days.” Rachel Fraser PGCE 2001 Rachel died at the age of 40 after a courageous battle against cancer. She did a PGCE (FE), a course that really changed her life and enabled her to discover her true vocation as a teacher of law, a career which she pursued as long as she could. She died on 1st September 2012. Ann Virginia Elliott CCLL Current student Ann was studying with the Community Valleys University for an UG Credit in Social Studies. Ann passed away at the age of 72 in December 2012. Dale Llewellyn Sports Studies 2008 Dale died suddenly in January. He will be remembered for representing the University at Rugby and was very popular with staff and students, many of whom still study and work at the University. Patricia Chesters (nee Lawrence) Teacher Training 1966 - 1969 Patricia died peacefully on 25th February 2012, aged 64 years.

1963 – 66 reunion summer 2013 This year it will be 50 years since the class of 1963 first arrived at Caerleon campus to start their teacher training studies. On 6 July we will be celebrating with a get together. If you are interested look out for the letters and tell all your friends.

Contact: Carolyn Jenkins, Alumni Officer • T: 01633 432148 • E: carolyn.jenkins@newport.ac.uk

Graduate celebrates a decade of helping international students learn English

The Welsh Livery Guild

The University history book ‘no more worlds to conquer’

The Scholarship

Transforming an historic town to its former glory Newport University’s Photographic Art students are set to help restore Pontypool town centre to its former glory as part of a major £2.6million project. The group of 43 students and their lecturers have been commissioned by Torfaen County Borough Council to create art work for use in the production of hoardings as part of the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI), a Heritage Lottery Fund programme to help communities regenerate the historic aspects of their towns and cities. It focuses on delivering sustainable conservation in urban areas, bringing new uses and new life back into areas that have lost their traditional economic bases.

– who will decide which projects to take forward to the council. As well as raising awareness of the THI, the Art Hoardings project aims to brighten up the town centre while regeneration work is undertaken on many of its historic buildings, at the same time as engaging with the community and expressing their memories and aspirations for Pontypool. Matt White, Senior Lecturer in Photographic Art, said: “This is the first time we’ve worked with such a big organisation in this way. The project will help expand the students’ ideas about other photographic practices and give them an idea of what it would be like to pitch to companies for commissioning.”

The project runs until 2016 and is funded by a range of organisations including the Heritage Lottery Fund; European Regeneration Development Fund; targeted match funding; Cadw; Pontypool Regeneration Partnership and Torfaen County Borough Council.

Cath Tarling, Enterprise Engagement Manager at the University of Wales, Newport, added: “Projects such as this are vital in encouraging our students to think and work in an enterprising way, while gaining valuable entrepreneurial skills which will give them a head start in the business world once they leave university.”

The students, who are in the second year of their BA (Hons) Photographic Art degree course, undertook thorough research of the town before pitching their ideas to a panel of judges. The panel included representitives from the council and their lecturers – Matt White, Peter Bobby and Matt Simmons

The partnership was made possible by Bright Ideas at the University of Wales, Newport, which links students with projects that will develop their enterprise skills and provide opportunities for them to work on innovative projects with real organisations.

Former PGCE student Kate Hargreaves set up her own business helping international students become fluent in English almost 10 years ago – and is still reaping the rewards of her studies. After teaching English as a foreign language for many years, Kate decided to use her skills and passion for immersing students into British culture to set up Living Learning English, a service which provides intensive English courses by placing learners in the homes of their teachers. After running the organisation from home for four years, Kate moved to its Bristol headquarters and now employs 10 administrative staff there as well as 350 teachers based all over the UK. “We moved into our Bristol offices just at the point when we’d started to build up quite a profile on the international education scene,” says Kate. “The intensive learning style we provide to students means they experience total immersion in the language, which is so much more effective than sitting in a classroom. “It’s so important that they gain an understanding of British culture too, and living with their teacher in their home is a brilliant way to do that. It’s English in action.” Living Learning English is always looking for teachers to join them. Go to www.livingenglish.com for details.

Now only £5.00

The Welsh Livery Guild was established in 1993 for the purpose of promoting the arts, science and technology in Wales and, in particular, for the development of the skills and professional competences within these activities. One of the ways it achieves these objectives is by offering a £1,000 Travel Scholarship in various sectors of education and personal development.

Visit the online shop to get your copy now! http://shop.newport.ac.uk

Last chance to get your University of Wales, Newport merchandise

Purpose of the Scholarship

The Scholarship is to enable recipients – often, but not necessarily, post-graduate students – to travel abroad and to undertake a study project which will significantly assist in furthering their careers and enhancing and developing their talents.

When it’s gone it’s gone! Selected items now greatly reduced visit http://shop.newport.ac.uk

To apply, contact Katy Hales at katy.hales@newport.ac.uk or 01633 432954.

Fairwood The Fairwood Trust scholarship programme offers graduates of the University the opportunity to apply for funding to help them get a start-up business off the ground. The programme also enables the University to provide a tailored package of skills development and financial support to those who may otherwise be underemployed or not able to secure jobs due to lack of experience. This in turn, allows the students to make their own opportunities using self-employment as a way to gain skills, knowledge and experience to develop their careers. If you think you have a business idea or the entrepreneurial expertise to be selected as a scholar, then contact Katy Hales at katy.hales@newport.ac.uk or 01633 432954.

Alison Durston, Conference and Events Manager at the University of Wales Newport tells us why the University is the perfect place to hold a business event... What’s the best thing about hiring the University for a business meeting? We get a lot of feedback of how impressed business visitors are with our campuses and how satisfied people are with our services. Businesses will also be pleased to know that we have several offers running at the moment, including 20% off venue hire and free refreshments with every meeting booked*

What types of rooms do you offer for hire at the University? We have two very large campuses with a range of venues to choose from, so more often than not we have the exact room required. We offer everything, from small seminar rooms to conference suites, large lecture theatres and even a video conference suite. Businesses are welcome to ask for a tour of the University, to get a better look and feel of what we can offer. What services do you offer? We are very flexible with businesses; some will want lunch while others may just want tea or coffee. Some will even require computer access, IT support or Wifi. The team is here to help with any requests and ensure your business event runs smoothly. To find out more about hiring the University for your business event contact 01633 432991 or email conferencentre@newport.ac.uk www.newport.ac.uk/offers *All offers are subject to terms and conditions. Visit our website to find out more.

Ever Thought about returning to university?

aT newport it’s all about

YOU

AND

YOUR

CAREER

The University of Wales, Newport offers professional and postgraduate courses designed to give you the edge. There will always be new skills to learn and at Newport we have a wealth of courses to help you develop your career. Both part-time and full-time courses are available and many of our programmes are professionally accredited.

Find out more Book onto one of our Information Evenings on the following dates:

15 May, 25 June and 22 August. I completed my BA (Hons) in Performing Arts at the University of Wales, Newport and decided to return and continue my studies as a postgraduate student. Newport has a fantastic supportive environment and a graduate school with great facilities for postgraduate students. I’ve had lots of encouragement from staff and the work that I’ve undertaken will give me a fantastic platform to begin my career in teaching. The postgraduate experience will be invaluable in developing further skills. Sarah Crews, University of Wales, Newport student

Book now at: www.newport.ac.uk/infoeve T: 01633 432432 E: uic@newport.ac.uk

*The University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport are in advanced talks with the intention of merging in Spring 2013. The merger will deliver a distinctive new institution for the region which will be of the scope and scale to compete on equal terms with its larger crossborder neighbours. The new institution will build on the strengths and resources of the two universities and maximise the opportunities for learners via the partners’ campuses across the cities of Cardiff and Newport and throughout the valleys of South East Wales.