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History and Timeline

History and Timeline

Brightly painted UWTSD coat-of-arms on the wall of the college in Lampeter.

History

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) was formed on 18 November 2010 through the merger of the University of Wales Lampeter and Trinity University College Carmarthen, under Lampeter’s Royal Charter of 1828. On 1 August 2013, Swansea Metropolitan University became part of UWTSD. The University’s Royal Charter is the oldest in Wales and England after the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. In 2011 HRH the Prince of Wales became its Royal Patron.

Lampeter Campus

Exterior of Lampeter campus grounds and building

Lampeter Campus

The campus was founded in 1822 as St David’s College to provide a liberal education to members of the clergy.
Over the years it developed a range of subjects and, as the University of Wales Lampeter, enjoyed a reputation for undergraduate and postgraduate provision in English, Archaeology, Chinese, Classics, History, Theology, as well as introducing new areas such as Philosophy, Anthropology, Ancient Civilisations and Creative Writing.
Now, as UWTSD, the academic community continues to thrive and the portfolio offered attracts an international cohort of students each year.

Carmarthen Campus

Carmarthen Old Building

Carmarthen Campus

The original 1848 building lies at the heart of the Carmarthen campus. It was initially known as South Wales and Monmouthshire Training College and was established to train teachers for church schools in England and Wales. It later became known as Trinity College and subsequently Trinity University College before joining forces with the University of Wales Lampeter to create UWTSD.

Y Fforwm from the outside

Swansea Campuses

For most of the twentieth century, there were three separate educational institutions serving the city of Swansea: the Swansea College of Art (established in 1853); the Swansea College of Education (established in 1872) and Swansea Technical College (established in 1895).

In 1976, the three institutions came together to form the West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education, which eventually became Swansea Institute of Higher Education. In 2008, the Privy Council gave permission for the institution to be renamed Swansea Metropolitan University and, several years later, the institution merged with the Lampeter and Carmarthen campuses to create the new UWTSD.

Timeline

  • 1822 - Foundation of St David’s College by Bishop Burgess
  • 1827 - First students admitted on St David’s Day
  • 1828 - Received the first charter
  • 1960 - First funding received from the University Grants Committee
  • 1971 - Joined the University of Wales
  • 1971 - Changed name to St David’s University College
  • 1996 - Changed name to the University of Wales Lampeter
  • 2010 - Merger with Trinity University College and creation of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David
  • 1847 - Foundation stone laid of the South Wales and Monmouthshire Training College
  • 1848 - Opening of the College
  • 1931 - New name of Trinity College adopted
  • 1990 - Accreditation by the University of Wales for degrees
  • 2008 - Achievement of taught degree awarding powers
  • 2009 - Achievement of University College status
  • 2010 - Merger into the University of Wales Lampeter and creation of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David
  • 1853 - Establishment of Swansea College of Art
  • 1872 - Establishment of Swansea College of Education
  • 1895 - Establishment of Swansea Technical College
  • 1976 - West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education
  • 1991 - Swansea Institute of Higher Education
  • 2008 - Achievement of University status and change of name to Swansea Metropolitan University
  • 2013 - Merger into the University of Wales Trinity Saint David
  • 2010 - Formed by supplemental Royal Charter 1828
  • 2013 - Merger of Swansea Metropolitan University
  • 2013 - Merger of Coleg Sir Gâr into the UWTSD Group
  • 2014 - Merger of Coleg Ceredigion into the UWTSD Group