Wales

Wales welcomes international students from some 110 countries, enrolling students onto 5,300 different courses. In the last two years Welsh higher education institutions launched nearly 100 new courses, and attracted over £900m of research funding. In 2007, international students enrolling on courses increased by 7% to over 7,000 students with an average of 10% of the student population made up of students from countries outside the EU.

There are over 30 centres of excellence in Wales, 13 departments rated 5* and 41 rated 5 in the latest UK Research Assessment Exercise and 66 departments listed as Excellent under the UK Teaching Quality Assessment.

Research in Wales

A wealth of collaborative research projects have recently been launched in Wales including;

• The Research and Enterprise Partnership between University of Wales Aberystwyth and University of Wales Bangor offering joint research centres such as the Centre for Catchment to Coast Research, the Centre for Integrated Rural Environment Research and the Centre for Advanced Functional Materials and Devices Research.

• The Wales Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience will combine the expertise and resources of Swansea University, University of Wales Bangor and University of Wales Aberystwyth.

• The Screen Academy of Wales merges the expertise of University of Glamorgan, University of Wales Newport, Cardiff University, Swansea Institute of Higher Education and the National Conservatoire of Wales the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

In addition the Welsh Assembly Government is investing in research initiatives that combines the expertise of education institutions with the worlds leading companies such as the new £30m Institute of Advanced Telecommunications and the new £50m Institute of Life Science, both at Swansea University.

Successful Students from Wales

Former students have gone into business, education, the arts, sport and politics in most countries of the world. Some have achieved international prestige, such as President Kabbah of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Datuk Hishamudin Tun Hussein, Minister of Education, Malaysia both of whom studied at the University of Wales Aberystwyth, His Excellency Dr Mohamed Latheef, UN Ambassador, Republic of Maldives studied at Cardiff University. Sulak Sivaraska, from Thailand the human rights campaigner who was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in 1995 and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and 1994, studied at the University of Wales Lampeter.

Higher Education in Wales

Wales' higher education centres of excellence are at the forefront of research and development and offer specialties and postgraduate opportunities in a vast range of subjects at the 12 institutions that comprise Wales International Consortium. Wales institutions offer every course apart from Veterinary Science so whatever your subject choice or research specialization it will be available in one of the 12 institutions. From the design and manufacture of automotive components to the creative industries Wales higher education offers courses that meet the vocational needs of graduate students by aligning its academic and research needs with the demands of emerging industries whilst at the same time offering the more traditional options of business, engineering and humanities.

Strengths in Industry

The design and manufacture of automotive components is one of Wales most strategically important sectors. It includes business at all levels in the global industry’s supply chain. The future focus will be to cater for the low emissions motor industry through the use of new technologies, new materials or new sources of energy. Wales is already establishing itself as a European leader in the research and application of such technology. Wales higher education centres of excellence are at the forefront of research and development and offer specialities in all areas of automotive technology including powertrain, material (metals, plastics, composites, ceramics and bio), automotive electronics (telematics), fuels (alternative) design and automation (robotics, vision systems, micro).

Why Wales?

Wales offers choice and flexibility with most institutions offering second semester start dates for many graduate courses including MBA's, MSc's and MA's. Wales has launched over 100 new courses in the last two years including many unique and non-generic courses. At Swansea University 2007 will see the launch of a Masters in Business and Law which will be unique to the UK.

However the real strengths of a higher education in Wales lie beyond its world class teaching and research, they are found in its superb and safe environment, cultural uniqueness and an enviable life style at a low cost.

Leisure and Recreation in Wales

Wales offers some of the best sporting facilities including Glamorgan Cricket Academy located in Sophia gardens in Cardiff along with the Welsh institute of sport which is the only centre in the UK to hold British Olympic accreditation as a training centre for 3 sports; badminton, table Tennis and Judo.

Wales offers an array of sports including abseiling, paragliding, mountain biking and jetski-ing, alongside its more traditional sports of rugby, football and cricket.

Wales has almost 200 golf courses including some of the best in the UK amongst such as the Celtic Manor in Newport which will be home to the Ryder cup in 2010. The new £24 million Swansea Stadium housing the football and rugby teams has now been opened and the Wales Millenium Stadium in Cardiff is considered one of the finest stadiums in the world. University of Wales Institute Cardiff is home to the National Indoor Arena which houses a Centre of Excellence for Athletics.

Environment and Culture

The mountains of Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire National Park and the Cambrian Mountains alongside the coastal environments of Mumbles, Cardigan Bay, Pembrokeshire Coastal path and the Menai Straits offer a wealth of opportunity to experience sports such as climbing, surfing, walking, mountain biking, sailing, caving, windsurfing, and riding. Wales first MA in Outdoor Education was launched at Trinity College Carmarthen.

From its metropolitan cities and small market towns, across its mountains and idyllic beaches, Wales offers a unique and vibrant culture steeped in its 3,000 year old history. At the heart of its culture are it's myths and legends including that of the red dragon, King Vortigern ordered two sleeping dragons – one white, one red, to be awoken. A ferocious battle lasting many years began but finally the red dragon was triumphant. Merlin saw this as a prophecy that the Welsh would ultimately, after suffering for many years, overcome the invaders to keep their land, their language and their traditions.

The dragon on Wales flag is the perfect symbol of its original thinking: bold and imaginative. It is the only country in the world to be entering the third millennium with the same symbol on its national flag that it had when it entered the second millennium.