Merger & Reconfiguration

Merger & Reconfiguration

The following set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) has been put together to help Collaborative Centres, External Examiners and Moderators understand recent events in the University of Wales.

New academic strategy

  • The University will permit existing students at all stages of their studies to continue until completion of their current programme.

  • Students that are about to start their studies or are part of a future intake that has been agreed between the Collaborative Centre and the University will be registered with the University of Wales and permitted to complete their programme.

  • The University will honor the legal commitments made to the Collaborative Centre in line with the Validation Agreement. Collaborative Centres will be able to continue their work during the notice period.

  • All students that have commenced their studies at agreed intake points specified in each Collaborative Centre Validation Agreement will be permitted to complete their studies under the prescribed timescales in the University’s Regulations

  • The University will work with each Collaborative Centre to provide an opportunity for reassessment in the case of students that need to take resits beyond the period that is covered by the Centre’s existing Validation Agreement for the programme on which the student is registered.

  • The University is developing a new international educational model.

  • The University will establish mechanisms to share with Collaborative Centres further information about the proposed new model and will ensure the student voice is represented.

  • The University of Wales is transforming itself for the future with other HEIs in Wales, a development which accords with the Welsh Government’s objectives for the sector. As part of this process, the University agreed in 2011 to exit from all of its collaborative partnerships based on the former validated services model.

    The University has advised centres and other parties that formal references for potential new validating authorities looking to form partnerships with centres will be issued through the good offices of the Academic Dean only.

    To request a reference, please email  with the words ‘Reference Request’ in the Email subject line, with details of your centre.registryhelpdesk@wales.ac.uk

Merger Developments

  • University of Wales: Trinity Saint David, Swansea Metropolitan University and the University of Wales will merge to form one University.

  • The transformed University will operate under the Trinity Saint David 1828 Royal Charter. This is the oldest University Charter in England and Wales outside the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

  • Professor Medwin Hughes.

  • Yes.