University Of Aberystwyth
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

, mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = £30.9 million (2021) , budget = £116.8 million (2020-21) , administrative_staff = , vice_chancellor =
Elizabeth Treasure Elizabeth Tulip Treasure (born January 1958) is Vice-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University in Wales, and a former consultant dentist and professor of dentistry. Biography Treasure studied dentistry at the University of Birmingham where she was aw ...
, chancellor = John, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd , students = () , undergrad = () , postgrad = () , city =
Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...
, state = , country = Wales , campus_type = Campus , campus_size = , colours = , affiliations = , website = , logo = Aberystwyth University logo.svg Aberystwyth University ( cy, Prifysgol Aberystwyth) is a public research university in
Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...
, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding member institution of the former federal University of Wales. The university has over 8,000 students studying across three academic faculties and 17 departments. Founded in 1872 as University College Wales, Aberystwyth, it became a founder member of the University of Wales in 1894, and changed its name to the ''University College of Wales, Aberystwyth''. In the mid-1990s, the university again changed its name to become the ''University of Wales, Aberystwyth''. On 1 September 2007, the University of Wales ceased to be a federal university and Aberystwyth University became independent again. In 2019, it became the first university to be named "University of the year for teaching quality" by ''The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide'' for two consecutive years. It is the first university in the world to be awarded Plastic Free University status (for single-use plastic items).


History

In the middle of the 19th century, eminent Welsh people were advocating the establishment of a university in the principality. One of these, Thomas Nicholas, whose book, ''Middle and High Class Schools, and University Education for Wales'' (1863), is said to have "exerted great influence on educated Welshmen". Funded through public and private subscriptions, and with five regional committees (London, Manchester, Liverpool, North and South Wales) guaranteeing funds for the first three years' running costs, the university opened in October 1872 with 26 students. Thomas Charles Edwards was the principal. In October 1875, chapels in Wales raised the next tranche of funds from over 70,000 contributors. Until 1893, when the college joined the University of Wales as a founder member, students applying to Aberystwyth sat the University of London's entrance exams. Women were admitted in 1884. In 1885, a fire damaged what is now known as the Old College, Aberystwyth, and in 1897 the first 14 acres of what became the main Penglais campus were purchased. Incorporated by Royal Charter in 1893, the university installed the Prince of Wales as chancellor in 1896, the same year it awarded an honorary degree to the British prime minister,
William Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...
. The university's coat of arms dates from the 1880s. The shield features two red dragons to symbolise Wales, and an open book to symbolise learning. The crest, an
eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
or phoenix above a flaming tower, may signify the college's rebirth after the 1885 fire. The motto is ''Nid Byd, Byd Heb Wybodaeth'' (a world without knowledge is no world at all). In the early 1900s, the university added courses that included law, applied mathematics, pure mathematics and botany. The Department for International Politics, which Aberystwyth says is the oldest such department in the world, was founded in 1919. By 1977, the university's staff included eight Fellows of the Royal Society, such as Gwendolen Rees, the first Welsh woman to be elected an FRS. The Department of Sports and Exercise Science was established in 2000. Joint honours psychology degrees were introduced in September 2007, and single honours psychology in 2009. The
chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
of the university is The Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, who took up the position in January 2018. The
visitor A visitor, in English and Welsh law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution, often a charitable institution set up for the perpetual distribution of the founder's alms and bounty, who can interve ...
of the university is an appointment made by the
Privy Council A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...
, under the Royal Charter of the university. Since July 2014, the holder of this office is Mr Justice Sir Roderick Evans KC. In 2011, the university appointed a new vice chancellor under whom the academic departments were restructured as larger subject-themed institutes. In 2022, the university celebrated its 150th anniversar,y being established in 1872 (known at the time as The University College of Wales).


Organisation and administration


Departments and Faculties

The university's academic departments, as well as the Arts Centre, International English Centre and Music Centre are organised in three faculties: ; Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences * School of Art * Arts Centre * School of Education * Department of English and Creative Writing * Department of History and Welsh History * International English Centre * Department of International Politics * Department of Law and Criminology * Department of Modern Languages * Music Centre * Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies * Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies ; Faculty of Business and Physical Sciences * Aberystwyth Business School * Department of Computer Science * Department of Information Studies * Department of Mathematics * Department of Physics ; Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences * Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences * Department of Geography and Earth Sciences * Department of Psychology


Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences

The Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) is a research and teaching centre which brings together staff from the Institutes of Rural Sciences and Biological Sciences and the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER). Around 360 research, teaching and support staff conduct basic, strategic and applied research in biology. The institute is located in two areas; one at the main teaching Penglais campus and another rural research hub at the Gogerddan campus.


Aberystwyth Business School

In 1998, the Department of Economics (founded in 1912), the Department of Accounting and Finance (founded in 1979) and the Centre for Business Studies merged to create the School of Management and Business. In 2013, the School joined the Department of Information Studies and the Department of Law and Criminology at a new campus at Llanbadarn Fawr. The school was shortlisted for "Business School of the Year" in the ''Times Higher Education'' Awards (2014). In 2016, the institute, minus the Department of Information Studies, was renamed the Institute of Business and Law, the remaining departments being renamed Aberystwyth Business School and Aberystwyth Law School.


Department of Computer Science

The Department of Computer Science (founded in 1970), conducts research in automated reasoning,
computational biology Computational biology refers to the use of data analysis, mathematical modeling and computational simulations to understand biological systems and relationships. An intersection of computer science, biology, and big data, the field also has fo ...
, vision graphics and visualisation and intelligent robotics. AberMUD, the first popular internet-based
MUD A MUD (; originally multi-user dungeon, with later variants multi-user dimension and multi-user domain) is a Multiplayer video game, multiplayer Time-keeping systems in games#Real-time, real-time virtual world, usually Text-based game, text-bas ...
, was written in the department by then-student Alan Cox. Jan Pinkava, another graduate, won an Oscar for his short animated film '' Geri's Game''. Students in the department were also involved in the creation of the award-winning service robot librarian named
Hugh Hugh may refer to: *Hugh (given name) Noblemen and clergy French * Hugh the Great (died 956), Duke of the Franks * Hugh Magnus of France (1007–1025), co-King of France under his father, Robert II * Hugh, Duke of Alsace (died 895), modern-day ...
and Kar-go, the autonomous delivery vehicle.


Department of Geography and Earth Sciences

The Department of Geography and Earth Sciences (IGES) was formed, in 1989, from the former Departments of Geography (established in 1918) and Geology. It houses the
E. G. Bowen Emrys George Bowen FRGS, FSA, also known as E. G. Bowen (28 December 1900 – 8 November 1983), was an internationally renowned geographer with a particular interest in the physical geography and social geography of his native Wales. A diminut ...
map library, containing 80,000 maps and 500 atlases.


Department of Information Studies

The
College of Librarianship Wales The College of Librarianship Wales ( cy, Coleg Llyfrgellwyr Cymru ) (known as CLW) was a monotechnic college specializing in library and information science in Aberystwyth, Wales, between its foundation in 1964 and August 1989, when it was m ...
(CLW) was established at Llanbadarn Fawr in 1964, in response to a recommendation for the training of bilingual librarians that was made in the Bourdillon Report on ''Standards of public library service in England'' (HMSO, 1962). The college grew rapidly, developing close links to the Welsh speaking and professional communities, acquiring an international reputation and pioneering flexible and distance learning courses. It claimed to be Europe's largest institution for training librarians. The independent college merged with the university in August 1989 and the department moved to the Penglais campus a quarter of a century later. Following the merger, the new department took over responsibility for existing offerings in archives administration and modern records management.


Department of International Politics

The Department of International Politics is the oldest of its kind in the world. It was founded, shortly after the First World War in 1919, with the stated purpose of furthering political understanding of the world in the hope of avoiding such conflicts in the future. This goal led to the creation of the Woodrow Wilson Chair of International Politics, with Wilson having played a significant role in its creation. The department has over 700 students from 40 countries studying at undergraduate, masters and PhD levels. It achieved a 95% score for student satisfaction in the 2016 National Student Survey, placing it as the highest-ranking politics department in Wales and within the UK's top ten. The department has hosted notable academic staff in the field including E. H. Carr, Leopold Kohr, Andrew Linklater, Ken Booth, Steve Smith, Michael Cox,
Michael MccGwire Michael Kane MccGwire (9 December 1924 – 26 March 2016) was a British international relations specialist known for his work on Cold War geopolitics and Soviet naval strategy. A former Royal Navy commander, he was Professor of Maritime and Str ...
, Jenny Edkins and
Colin J. McInnes Colin John McInnes (born 18 June 1960) is Pro Vice Chancellor (Research, Knowledge Exchange and Innovation) aAberystwyth Universityand holds a personal professorial chair in thDepartment of International Politicsthere, where his research focuses on ...
.


Department of Law and Criminology

The Department of Law and Criminology (founded in 1901) is housed in the Hugh Owen Building on the Penglais campus, and includes the ''Centre for Welsh Legal Affairs'', a specialist research centre. All academic staff are engaged in research, and the ''International Journal of Biosciences and the Law'' and the ''
Cambrian Law Review ''The Cambrian Law Review'' is a Welsh academic law journal containing articles on British and international law, book reviews, and obituaries. It is published by the Committee of the Cambrian Law Review, on behalf of the Department of Law and Cri ...
'' are edited in the department. In 2013, the department joined the Department of Information Studies and the School of Management and Business at a new campus at Llanbadarn Fawr, as part of a newly created Institute of Management, Law and Information Studies. In September 2018, the department moved back to the Hugh Owen Building, based in the Penglais campus, and its name changed from Aberystwyth Law School to the Department of Law and Criminology. ''The Guardian'' University Guide 2018 ranked the Law Department at 69th in the UK, and "The Times" Higher Education Guide ranks it as 300th globally.


Department of Modern Languages

Aberystwyth has taught modern languages since 1874. French, German, Italian and Spanish courses are taught at both beginners' and advanced levels, in a research-active academic environment. One of its research projects is the ''Anglo-Norman Dictionary'', based in Aberystwyth since 2001 and available online since 2005.


Department of Physics

Physics was first taught at Aberystwyth as part of Natural Philosophy, Astronomy and Mathematics under N. R. Grimley, soon after the foundation of the University College. It became a department in 1877, under the leadership of F. W. Rudler. The department was located in the south wing of what is now the Old College, but later moved to the Physics Building on the Penglais Campus. The first chair in Physics was offered to D. E. Jones in 1885. Before the First World War, much of the early research in the department was undertaken in Germany. Early research in the 1900s was concerned with
electrical conductivity Electrical resistivity (also called specific electrical resistance or volume resistivity) is a fundamental property of a material that measures how strongly it resists electric current. A low resistivity indicates a material that readily allow ...
and quantum theory, later moving into thermal conductivity and
acoustics Acoustics is a branch of physics that deals with the study of mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including topics such as vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician ...
. In 1931, the department hosted the Faraday Centenary Exhibition. E. J. Williams was appointed to the Chair of Physics in 1938 where he continued his research into sub-atomic particles using a cloud chamber. Following the Second World War, research was concerned with mechanical and nuclear physics, later moving into the fields of
air density The density of air or atmospheric density, denoted '' ρ'', is the mass per unit volume of Earth's atmosphere. Air density, like air pressure, decreases with increasing altitude. It also changes with variation in atmospheric pressure, temperature a ...
, experimental rocket launching equipment and radar.


Department of Psychology

In 2007, Aberystwyth established psychology as a "Centre for Applied Psychology" within the Department of International Politics. By 2011, psychology had moved into its current premises in Penbryn 5 on the Penglais Campus. The department has over 300 undergraduate students, with degrees accredited by the British Psychological Society.


Campuses


Penglais

The main campus of the university is situated on Penglais Hill, overlooking the town of Aberystwyth and Cardigan Bay, and comprises most of the university buildings, Arts Centre, Students' Union, and many of the student residences. Just below Penglais Campus is the
National Library of Wales The National Library of Wales ( cy, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru), Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales and is one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies. It is the biggest library in Wales, holding over 6.5 million boo ...
, one of Britain's five legal deposit libraries. The landscaping of the Penglais Campus is historically significant and is listed. The
CADW (, a Welsh verbal noun meaning "keeping/preserving") is the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and part of the Tourism and Culture group. works to protect the historic buildings and structures, the landscapes and heritage s ...
listing states,


Llanbadarn

The Llanbadarn Centre is located approximately one mile to the east of the Penglais Campus, near Llanbadarn Fawr, overlooking the town and Cardigan Bay to the west, with the backdrop of the
Cambrian Mountains The Cambrian Mountains ( cy, Mynyddoedd Cambria, in a narrower sense: ''Elenydd'') are a series of mountain ranges in Wales. The term ''Cambrian Mountains'' used to apply to most of the upland of Wales. Since the 1950s, its application has becom ...
to the east. Llanbadarn Centre hosted Aberystwyth Law School and Aberystwyth Business School, which together formed the Institute of Business and Law. The Department of Information Studies is also based there. Additionally, the Llanbadarn Campus is the site of the Aberystwyth branch of Coleg Ceredigion (a further education college, and not part of the university).


Goggerddan

At Gogerddan, on the outskirts of town is located the university's major centre for research in land based sciences and the main centre for the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Science.


School of Art, Edward Davies Building

The School of Art is located between the Penglais Campus and the centre of Aberystwyth, in what was originally the Edward Davies Chemical Laboratory. A listed building, the Edward Davies Building is one of the finest examples of architecture in Aberystwyth.


Old College

The site of the original university is the Old College, currently the subject of the "New Life for Old College" project which aims to transform it into an integrated centre of heritage, culture, learning and knowledge exchange. The university opened an international campus in Mauritius in 2016 operating as ''Aberystwyth University (Mauritian Branch Campus)'' and registered with the Tertiary Education Commission of Mauritius, but closed it to new enrolments two years later due to low enrolment numbers.


Student residences

Most of the student residences are on campus, with the rest in walking distance of the campus and Aberystwyth town centre. Accommodation ranges from "traditional" catered residences to en-suite self-catered accommodation, and from budget rooms to more luxurious studio apartments. All have wired access to the university's computer network and a support network of residential tutors.


Penglais Campus

*Cwrt Mawr (self-catered flats, single rooms, capacity 503) * (Welsh speaking traditional catered hall, refurbished in 2020, capacity 200) *Penbryn (Welsh-speaking traditional catered hall, capacity 350) *Rosser (self-catered en-suite flats, capacity 336), *Rosser G (postgraduate flats following 2011 expansion to Rosser, capacity 60) *Trefloyne (self-catered flats, capacity 147)


Pentre Jane Morgan (Student Village)

*Almost 200 individual houses arranged in closes and cul-de-sacs. Each house typically accommodates five or six students. The total capacity is 1,003.


Fferm Penglais Student Residence

* Purpose-built student accommodation with studio apartments and en-suite bedrooms (total capacity 1,000). An area of accommodation within the Fferm Penglais Student Residence is set aside for students who are Welsh learners or fluent Welsh speakers and who wish to live in a Welsh speaking environment.


Town accommodation

*Seafront Residences (self-catered flats located on the seafront and Queen's Road, overall capacity 361). The original Seafront residences, Plyn' and Caerleon, were destroyed by fire in 1998. *Seafront residences include Aberglasney, Balmoral, Blaenwern, Caerleon, Carpenter, Pumlumon, Ty Glyndwr, and Ty Gwerin Halls. The university also owns several houses, such as Penglais Farmhouse (adjacent to Pentre Jane Morgan) and flats in Waun Fawr, which are let on an assured shorthold tenure to students with families. Disabled access rooms are available within the existing student village.


Reputation and academic profile

Aberystwyth University is placed in the UK's top 50 universities in the main national rankings. It is ranked 48th for 132 UK university rankings in ''The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide'' for 2019 and the first university to be given the prestigious award "University of the year for teaching quality" for two consecutive years, in2018 and 2019. The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' placed it in the 301—350 group for 800 university rankings, compared with 351—400 the previous year, and the ''QS World University Rankings'' placed it at the 432nd position for 2019, compared with 481—490 of the previous year. In 2015, UK employers from "predominantly business, IT and engineering sectors" listed Aberystwyth equal 49th in their 62-place employability rankings for UK graduates, according to a ''Times Higher Education'' report. Aberystwyth University was rated in the top ten of UK higher education institutions for overall student satisfaction in the 2016 National Student Survey (NSS). Aberystwyth University was shortlisted in four categories in the ''Times Higher Education'' Leadership and Management Awards (THELMAs) (2015). Aberystwyth University has been awarded the Silver Award under the Corporate Health Standard (CHS), the quality mark for workplace health promotion run by Welsh Government. The university has been awarded an Athena SWAN Charter Award, recognising commitment to advancing women's careers in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) in higher education and research. In 2007, the university came under criticism for its record on
sustainability Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livi ...
, ranking 97th out of 106 UK higher education institutions in that year's Green League table. In 2012 the university was listed in the table's "Failed, no award" section, ranking equal 132nd out of 145. In 2013 it ranked equal 135th out of 143, and was listed again as "Failed, no award". Following the university's initiatives to address sustainability, it received an EcoCampus Silver Phase award in October 2014. In October 2015, the university's Penglais Campus became the first university campus in Wales to achieve the Green Flag Award. The Green Flag Award is a UK-wide partnership, delivered in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy with support from Natural Resources Wales, and is the mark of a high quality park or green space. In 2013, the University and College Union alleged bullying behaviour by Aberystwyth University managers, and said staff were fearful for their jobs. The university president, Sir Emyr Jones Parry, said in a BBC radio interview, "I don't believe the views set out are representative and I don't recognise the picture." He also said, "Due process is rigorously applied in Aberystwyth." The economist John Cable resigned his ''emeritus'' professorship, describing the university's management as "disproportionate, aggressive and confrontational". The singer
Peter Karrie Peter Karrie (originally Peter Karagianis), born 10 August 1946, is a Welsh singer and an honorary fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He played the lead role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical ''The Phantom of the Opera'' in Lo ...
resigned his honorary fellowship in protest, he said, at the apparent determination to "ruin one of the finest arts centres in the country", and because he was "unable to support any regime that can treat their staff in such a cruel and appalling manner".


Officers and academics

Presidents and chancellors *1872–95 Henry Austin Bruce, 1st Lord Aberdare *1895–1913 Stuart, Lord Rendel *1913–26 Sir John Williams, 1st Bt *1926–44 Edmund Davies, Lord Edmund-Davies *1944–54
Thomas Jones (T. J.) Thomas Jones, CH (27 September 1870 – 15 October 1955) was a British civil servant and educationalist, once described as "one of the six most important men in Europe", and also as "the King of Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country t ...
*1955–64
Sir David Hughes Parry Sir David Hughes Parry (3 January 1893 – 8 January 1973) was a university administrator, Professor of Law and Vice-Chancellor of the University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nomina ...
*1964–76 Sir Ben Bowen Thomas *1977–85 Cledwyn Hughes, Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos *1985–97
Melvyn Rosser Melvyn is a masculine given name which may refer to: * Melvyn Betts (born 1975), English cricketer * Melvyn Bragg (born 1939), British broadcaster and author * Melvyn Caplan, British Conservative politician * Melvyn Douglas (1901-1981), American a ...
*1997–2007 Elystan Morgan, Lord Elystan-Morgan *2007–17 Sir Emyr Jones Parry *2018–present John, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd Principals and Vice-Chancellors *1872–91 Thomas Charles Edwards *1891–1919
Thomas Francis Roberts Thomas Francis Roberts (1860–1919) was a Welsh academic and second Principal of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. Born at Aberdyfi, he received his education at Tywyn and the UCWA before taking a scholarship to St John's College, O ...
*1919–26 John Humphreys Davies *1927–34 Sir Henry Stuart-Jones *1934–52
Ifor Leslie Evans Ifor Leslie Evans (17 January 1897 – 31 May 1952) was a Welsh academic and Principal of the University College of Wales Aberystwyth from 1934 until 1952. Background The son of Welsh musician William John Evans, Ivor Leslie Evans received his ...
*1953–57 Goronwy Rees *1958–69 Sir Thomas Parry *1969–79 Sir Goronwy Daniel *1979–89 Gareth Owen *1989–94 Kenneth, Lord Morgan *1994–2004
Derec Llwyd Morgan Derec Llwyd Morgan (born as Derek Lloyd Morgan; 15 November 1943) is a Wales, Welsh academic who is a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. Biography Morgan was educated at Amman Valley Grammar School, (now Ysgol Dyffr ...
*2004–11 Noel Lloyd *2011–16
April McMahon April Mary Scott McMahon (born 30 April 1964) is a British academic administrator and linguist, who is Vice President for Teaching, Learning and Students at the University of Manchester. Having taught at the University of Cambridge and the Univ ...
*2016–17 John Grattan (acting) *2016–present
Elizabeth Treasure Elizabeth Tulip Treasure (born January 1958) is Vice-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University in Wales, and a former consultant dentist and professor of dentistry. Biography Treasure studied dentistry at the University of Birmingham where she was aw ...
Academics * Henry Bird, Lecturer in Art History (1936–41) * Ken Booth, Professor of International Politics *
Mary Brebner Mary Brebner (31 December 1858-6 May 1933) was a British teacher. She was one of the first women teaching German in Britain, and one of the first women lecturers at Aberystwyth University, where she taught modern and ancient languages, and ran th ...
, Lecturer in Modern Languages and Latin (1898-1919) * Edward Carr, Historian, Woodrow Wilson Professor of International Politics * Sir Henry Walford Davies, Master of the King's Music * John Davies, Welsh historian * Hannah Dee, Lecturer in Computer Science *
R. Geraint Gruffydd Robert Geraint Gruffydd FLSW FBA (9 June 1928 – 24 March 2015) was a scholar of Welsh language and literature. From 1970 to 1979, he was Professor of Welsh Language and Literature at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and was made Emeritus Pr ...
, Chair of Welsh Language and Literature (1970–79) *
David Russell Hulme David Russell Hulme (born 19 June 1951) is a Welsh conductor and musicologist. He is an Emeritus Reader and the former Director of Music at Aberystwyth University and is known for his research and publications on the music of Arthur Sullivan, t ...
, Director of Music (1992–), conductor, musicologist * Robert Maynard Jones, Chair of Welsh Language (1980) *
D. Gwenallt Jones David James Jones (18 May 1899 – 24 December 1968), commonly known by his bardic name Gwenallt, was a Welsh poet, critic, and scholar, and one of the most important figures of 20th-century Welsh-language literature. He created his bardic nam ...
, poet, Welsh Lecturer * Leopold Kohr, Economist, Political Scientist * Dennis Lindley, Professor of Statistics (1960–67) * David John de Lloyd, Gregynog Professor of Music, composer * Alec Muffett, Systems Programmer (1988–92) *
Charles Musselwhite Charles Brian Alexander Musselwhite (born 16 June 1975) is Professor of Psychology at Aberystwyth University. He was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, United Kingdom and educated at Bay House School, Gosport, Hampshire, followed by St Vincent Sixth ...
, Professor of Psychology (2021-) * Lily Newton, Professor of Botany * Ian Parrott, Gregynog Professor of Music (1950–83), composer, musicologist * Joseph Parry, Professor of Music, composer, conductor * Sir Thomas Herbert Parry-Williams, poet, Professor of Welsh (1920–52) *
F. Gwendolen Rees Florence Gwendolen Rees, (Gwendolen'' or Gwen) Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (3 July 1906 – 4 October 1994) was a Welsh Zoology, zoologist and parasitology, parasitologist. She was the first Welsh woman to become a fellow of the Royal So ...
FRS Professor of Zoology *
Huw Rees Huw is a Welsh given name, a variant of Hugo (name) , Hugo or Hugh (name), Hugh. Notable people with the name include: *Huw Bennett (born 1983), Welsh rugby player *Huw Bunford (born 1967), guitarist in the Welsh rock band Super Furry Animals *Huw ...
FRS (1923–2009), Geneticist * William Rubinstein, Professor of History * Marie Breen Smyth, Reader in Political Violence, International Politics * Richard Marggraf Turley, Professor of Engagement with the Public Imagination * Dame Marjorie Williamson, Principal, Royal Holloway, London (1962–73) *
Richard Henry Yapp Richard Henry Yapp (1871–1929) was an English botanist and an early ecologist, who held the Chair of Botany in Queen's University, Belfast, and the Mason Professorship of Botany at the University of Birmingham. Early life and education Yapp ...
, botanist


Alumni

Royalty *
Charles III, King of the United Kingdom Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...
*
Tunku Muhriz Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir (born 14 January 1948) is the eleventh Yang di-Pertuan Besar (Grand Ruler) of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Early life Tunku Muhriz is the only son out of six children of the late Tuanku Munawir ibni ...
Ibni Almarhum Tunku Munawir, 11th
Yang Di Pertuan Besar In Malay, Yang di-Pertuan Besar, literally ''"He Who Is Made Chief Ruler"'', is a title given to the head of state in segments of the Malay Archipelago. In Malaysia # Also known as Yamtuan Besar, it is the title of the elected monarch of the stat ...
(Grand Ruler) of
Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan'') is a state in Malaysia which lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the s ...
, Malaysia (2008–present) * Tunku Naquiyuddin, Tunku Laksamana of
Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan'') is a state in Malaysia which lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the s ...
, Malaysia (Regent: 1994–99) * Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, 3rd President of Sierra Leone (1996–7) Academia *
E. G. Bowen Emrys George Bowen FRGS, FSA, also known as E. G. Bowen (28 December 1900 – 8 November 1983), was an internationally renowned geographer with a particular interest in the physical geography and social geography of his native Wales. A diminut ...
, geographer * Sir Edward Collingwood, mathematician, scientist * Alan Cox, programmer (major contributor to the
Linux kernel The Linux kernel is a free and open-source, monolithic, modular, multitasking, Unix-like operating system kernel. It was originally authored in 1991 by Linus Torvalds for his i386-based PC, and it was soon adopted as the kernel for the GNU ope ...
, 1980s) * D. J. Davies, economist, socialist, Plaid Cymru activist * Natasha Devon, writer, mental health activist * Andrew Gordon naval historian * Sir Deian Hopkin, historian *
David Russell Hulme David Russell Hulme (born 19 June 1951) is a Welsh conductor and musicologist. He is an Emeritus Reader and the former Director of Music at Aberystwyth University and is known for his research and publications on the music of Arthur Sullivan, t ...
, director of music (from 1992), conductor * Rhiannon Ifans, Welsh and Celtic medieval specialist, author *
David Gwilym James David Gwilym James (25 September 1905 – 10 December 1968) was the second vice-chancellor (education), vice chancellor of the University of Southampton joining in October 1952 and remaining till 1965, the year being marked by university expansion i ...
vice-chancellor, University of Southampton 1952–65 * Emrys Jones, professor of geography, London School of Economics *
T. Harri Jones Thomas Henry "Harri" Jones (21 December 1921 – 29 January 1965) was a Welsh people, Welsh poet and university lecturer in Britain and Australia. Born in Wales, he wrote in English. Biography Jones was born at Cwm Crogau, near Llanafan Fawr ...
, poet *
Roy Kift Roy Kift (born 30 January 1943) in Bideford, Devon, is an English writer. Life Roy Kift read French and Romance studies at the University of Wales in Aberystwyth, graduating with a BA in 1964. Between 1965 and 1968 he followed an acting course ...
, dramatist, writer * Mary King, political scientist *
Michael MccGwire Michael Kane MccGwire (9 December 1924 – 26 March 2016) was a British international relations specialist known for his work on Cold War geopolitics and Soviet naval strategy. A former Royal Navy commander, he was Professor of Maritime and Str ...
, international relations specialist, naval commander *
Twm Morys Twm Morys (born 1961) is a Welsh poet and musician. Biography Twm Morys was born in 1961 in Oxford, a son to the writer Jan Morris. He was brought up in Llanystumdwy and attended Ysgol y Llan, before attending Marshcourt boarding school at the ...
, poet * Tavi Murray, glaciologist, Polar Medallist *
Ernest Charles Nelson (Ernest) Charles Nelson (15 September 1951, Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a botanist who specialises in the heather family, Ericaceae, especially ''Erica'', and whose past research interests included the Proteaceae especially '' Adenanthos''. H ...
, botanist * David Hughes Parry, vice-chancellor, University of London (1945–48) * T. H. Parry-Williams, poet, author, academic * Frederick Soddy,
Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry The Nobel Prize in Chemistry ( sv, Nobelpriset i kemi) is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the 1895 will and testament ...
(1921) * Vaughan Southgate
OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
DL PPFLS FRSM FRSB FZS (born 1944), parasitologist * Sir John Meurig Thomas FRS, chemist, professor, author * Paul Thomas, founding vice-chancellor, University of the Sunshine Coast * Sir Nigel Thrift, geographer, vice chancellor, University of Warwick * David John Williams, writer * Sir Glanmor Williams, historian * John Tudno Williams, theologian * Waldo Williams, poet * William Richard Williams, theologian * Christine James, first female
Archdruid of Wales Archdruid () is the title used by the presiding official of the Gorsedd. The Archdruid presides over the most important ceremonies at the National Eisteddfod of Wales including the Crowning of the Bard, the award of the and the Chairing of th ...
Law * Salleh Abas, Lord President of the Federal Court, Malaysia (1984–88) * Belinda Ang, judge, Supreme Court of Singapore (2003–) *
Sir Alun Talfan Davies Sir Alun Talfan Davies (22 July 1913 – 11 November 2000) was a Welsh judge, publisher and Liberal politician. Background Alun Talfan Davies was born at Gorseinon near Swansea, the youngest son of the Calvinistic Methodist minister William Ta ...
, judge, publisher * Sir Ellis Ellis-Griffith, 1st Bt, barrister, Liberal politician *
Iris de Freitas Brazao Iris de Freitas Brazao (1896 – 1989) was the first female lawyer in the Caribbean. Life Brazao was born in British Guiana. Her father was M. G. de Freitas, a merchant. After a short period studying at Toronto University, she enrolled at Aberyst ...
, first female prosecuting lawyer in the Caribbean * Sir Samuel Thomas Evans, barrister, judge, Liberal politician * Elwyn, Lord Elwyn-Jones, lord chancellor (1974–79) * John, Lord Morris of Aberavon,
attorney general In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
(1997–99) Civil servants *
Timothy Brain Timothy John Brain (born 1954) was the chief constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary, Gloucestershire from 2001 to 1 January 2010. He was previously Deputy Chief Constable from 1998. Early career Before joining the Police Service, Brain was a ...
, Chief Constable for Gloucestershire (2001–10) * Sir Goronwy Daniel, civil servant, academic Politics * Joe Borg, European Union oceans and fisheries commissioner (2004–10) * Roderic Bowen, Liberal MP, Commons deputy speaker * Nicholas, Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, Welsh Conservative leader (1999–2011) *
Rehman Chishti Atta-Ur-Rehman Chishti (born 4 October 1978) is a Pakistani-born British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gillingham and Rainham since 2010. He served under Theresa May as both the Vice Chair of the ...
, Conservative MP (2010–), special envoy (2019–20) * David Davies, 1st Baron Davies, Liberal politician, philanthropist * Glyn Davies, Conservative MP * Gwilym Prys Davies, Lord Prys-Davies, Labour peer (1982–2015) * Gwynfor Evans, first Plaid Cymru MP *
Steve Gilbert Stephen David John Gilbert (born 6 November 1976) is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was elected at the 2010 general election the Member of Parliament (MP) for the new constituency of St Austell and Newquay, but lost his seat at the ...
, Liberal Democrat MP (2010–15) *
Siân Gwenllian Siân Gwenllian is a Welsh Plaid Cymru politician who has represented the constituency of Arfon in the Senedd since 2016. She currently holds the seat with a majority of 8,642 votes. Since the 2021 Senedd election, Gwenllian has been Plaid ...
, Plaid Cymru AM * Neil Hamilton, Conservative MP and AM, barrister *
Sylvia Hermon Sylvia Eileen, Lady Hermon (née Paisley; born 11 August 1955) is a retired Unionist politician from Northern Ireland. She served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of North Down from 2001 to 2019. She was first elected fo ...
, Ulster Unionist politician * Emlyn Hooson, Baron Hooson, Liberal politician * Cledwyn Hughes, Baron Cledwyn of Penrhos, Labour politician * Hishammuddin Hussein,
defence minister A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
, Malaysia, (2021–) * Dan Jarvis, Labour MP *
Bethan Jenkins Bethan Sayed (née Jenkins, born 9 December 1981) is a Welsh politician. She represented the South Wales West Region for Plaid Cymru as a Member of the Senedd from 2007 to 2021. Early life and education Sayed was born in Aberdare, the dau ...
, Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales West * Carwyn Jones,
First Minister of Wales , insignia = First Minister of Wales logo.png , insigniasize = 120px , insigniacaption = Logo , flag = Flag of Wales.svg , flagsize = 120px , flagborder = yes , flagcaption = Flag of Wales , image = File:Mark Drakeford (cropped).jpg , ...
(2009–18), AM for Bridgend * Gerry MacLochlainn Sinn Féin politician * John Morris, Baron Morris of Aberavon, Labour politician * Elystan Morgan, Baron Elystan-Morgan, Labour MP * Roland Moyle, Labour MP, parliamentary private secretary to
Clement Attlee Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, (3 January 18838 October 1967) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955. He was Deputy Prime Mini ...
* Will Quince, Conservative MP * Dan Rogerson, Liberal Democrat MP * Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru MP, and Westminster Leader (2017–) * Molly Scott Cato, Green Party
MEP MEP may refer to: Organisations and politics * Mahajana Eksath Peramuna, a political party in Sri Lanka * Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (1956), a former political alliance in Sri Lanka * Maison européenne de la photographie, a photography centre ...
* Ahmed Shaheed, minister for foreign affairs, Maldives *
Virginijus Sinkevičius Virginijus Sinkevičius (born 4 November 1990) is a Lithuanian politician who has been serving as European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries in the European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen since 2019. He previously ...
, European Union environment commissioner (2019–) * Bob Stewart, Conservative MP * Gareth Thomas, Labour MP * Gareth Thomas, Labour MP * Mark Williams, Liberal Democrat MP, Welsh LD Leader (2016–17) * Mike Wood, Conservative MP * Steven Woolfe, UK Independence Party
MEP MEP may refer to: Organisations and politics * Mahajana Eksath Peramuna, a political party in Sri Lanka * Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (1956), a former political alliance in Sri Lanka * Maison européenne de la photographie, a photography centre ...
Business *
Lance Batchelor Lance Batchelor (born 1964) is a British businessman and former naval officer. He is the chairman of Royal Museums Greenwich and several Private Equity and Venture Capital owned companies, including ''Ometria (Octopus VC)'' Appello (Epiris LLP) a ...
,
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
, Domino's Pizza and
Saga is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square (video game company), Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, ...
* Geoff Drabble,
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
, Ashtead * Belinda Earl,
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
, Debenhams and Jaeger *
Tom Singh Tom Singh (born August 1949) is the founder of the New Look, a chain of high street fashion stores in the United Kingdom. Early life Singh was born into a Punjabi Sikh family, who emigrated from the Punjab to England in the late 1940s when he ...
, owner and
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
, New Look Sports * Cath Bishop, professional rower, civil servant * John Dawes, Rugby player, captain of Wales and British Lions * Carwyn James, Wales and British and Irish Lions Rugby coach (1949?–51) * Leigh Richmond Roose, international footballer * Berwyn Price, gold medal Commonwealth Games (1978) * Angela Tooby, silver medal, World Cross-Country Championships (1988) Arts and entertainment *
Dorothy Bonarjee Dorothy Noel 'Dorf' Bonarjee (1894–1983) was an Indian poet and artist who was known for being awarded a Bardic chair while a student in Wales and for being the first woman internal student to be awarded a law degree by University College Lond ...
, Indian poet, artist * Neil Brand, writer, composer, silent film accompanist *
Harris Brewis Harris Michael Brewis (born 19 September 1992), better known as Hbomberguy, is a British YouTuber and Twitch streamer. Brewis produces video essays on a variety of topics such as film, television, and video games, often combining them with argu ...
, British video essayist, YouTube personality * Seth Clabough, American novelist, academic * Shân Cothi, operatic singer, actress * Jane Green, author * Sarah Hall, writer, poet *
David Russell Hulme David Russell Hulme (born 19 June 1951) is a Welsh conductor and musicologist. He is an Emeritus Reader and the former Director of Music at Aberystwyth University and is known for his research and publications on the music of Arthur Sullivan, t ...
, conductor, musicologist * Aneirin Hughes, actor * Emrys James, actor *
Eveline Annie Jenkins Eveline Annie Jenkins (July 1893–1976) was a British botanical artist and illustrator. Biography Jenkins was born in Monmouthshire, one of the three children of the civil servant William Herbert Jenkins and Eveline Jenkins. She was educated a ...
(1893–1976), botanical artist * Alex Jones, presenter, BBC One TV programme, '' The One Show'' (2010–) * Melih Kibar, Turkish composer * Alun Lewis, Second World War writer, poet * Caryl Lewis, novelist *
Rick Lloyd Rick Lloyd is a British composer and musical director best known as a member of the original Flying Pickets who had a Christmas number one hit in 1983 with a cover of Yazoo's " Only You". Although the Flying Pickets are known for making a capp ...
, musician (Y Blew, Flying Pickets) *
Hayley Long Hayley Long (born 1971) is an English author best known for her teen fiction. She is a recipient of the Tir na n-Og Award. Background Hayley grew up in Felixstowe and studied English at Aberystwyth University before travelling abroad and the ...
, fiction writer * Sharon Maguire, film director, ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' *
Matt McCooey Matt McCooey (born 27 May 1981) is a British–Japanese actor best known for his role as DC Bill Wong in the television programme ''Agatha Raisin''. Early life McCooey is the son of author and journalist Chris McCooey and Kumiko Aoki. He was bor ...
, actor *
Alan Mehdizadeh Alan Mehdizadeh ( fa, الان مهدیزاده; born 4 September 1982) is a British-Iranian actor, appearing on stage and screen. He has recently played the role of Monk in Graham Moore's '' The Outfit''. He played the role of Don in the West ...
, actor, '' Billy Elliot the Musical'' * Robert Minhinnick, poet, essayist, novelist, translator *
Amy Parry-Williams Amy, Lady Parry-Williams ( Thomas; 18 December 1910 – 28 January 1988) was a Welsh singer and writer with a special interest in Welsh folk traditions. An active broadcaster, she was an early director of the Welsh television company HTV. Effe ...
(1910–1988), singer, writer *
Esther Pilkington Esther Pilkington is a British performance artist and researcher based in Hamburg, Germany. Pilkington, along with Daniel Ladnar, is a founding member of the performance collective Random People. Her work within the practice of walking art consider ...
, performance artist * Jan Pinkava, Oscar-winning animated film director * Rachel Roberts, actress * Lisa Surihani, Malaysian actress * Richard Roberts, theologian, pacifist Journalism *
Sir David Nicholas Sir David Nicholas (25 January 1930 – 4 June 2022) was a British broadcast journalist, ITN editor-in-chief, chief executive (1977–1989), and chairman (1989–91). Early life Nicholas was born on 25 January 1930 in Tregaron, Cardiganshir ...
, journalist and
ITN Independent Television News (ITN) is a UK-based television production company. It is made up of two divisions: Broadcast News and ITN Productions. ITN is based in London, with bureaux and offices in Beijing, Brussels, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, N ...
chief executive and chairman *
Jonathan Moyle Jonathan Moyle, the 28-year-old editor of the magazine 'Defence Helicopter World' and former RAF helicopter pilot, was found dead in room 1406 of Santiago's ''Hotel Carrera'' on 31. March 1990. His purpose in Santiago was to attend a Chilean spon ...
, journalist, RAF pilot and alleged MI6 agent.


Gallery


See also

* Aberystwyth Arts Centre * Aberystwyth University Students' Union * Armorial of UK universities * List of modern universities in Europe (1801–1945) * List of universities in the United Kingdom * List of universities in Wales *
Thomas Parry Library The Thomas Parry Library at Aberystwyth was part of the library of the University of Wales Aberystwyth, it served the Department of Information Studies, Department of Law and Criminology and the School of Management & Business. It opened in June 1 ...


Further reading

*Iwan Morgan (ed.), ''The College by the Sea'' (Aberystwyth, 1928) *E.L. Ellis, ''The University College of Wales, Aberystwyth: 1872–1972'', University of Wales Press (2004) *Ben Bowen Thomas, ''"Aber" 1872–1972'' (University of Wales Press, 1972) *J Roger Webster, ''Old College Aberystwyth: The Evolution of a High Victorian Building'' (University of Wales Press, 1995) *Emrys Wynn Jones, ''Fair may your future be: the story of the Aberystwyth Old Students' Association 1892–1992'' ( Aberystwyth Old Students' Association, 1992)


References


External links


Aberystwyth University
– University official website
Aberystwyth Students' Union
– Students' Union website
Aberystwyth Old Students' Association
– Alumni Association website {{Coord, 52.41806, N, 4.06576, W, source:placeopedia, display=title Percy Thomas buildings Aberystwyth 1872 establishments in Wales Educational institutions established in 1872 Buildings and structures in Aberystwyth Universities UK