History of the University

Wales has always been known for its emphasis on education. By the end of the nineteenth century, it was recognised by the working population as their way out of poverty, and their ambition did not stop short at primary or secondary education. The University of Wales was brought into being through the enthusiasm for learning and the determination, not to mention the generosity, of ordinary Welsh people: the miners, farmers and quarry workers who contributed to ‘the University of the People’ close to a hundred and twenty years ago. 

 What remains from those early days – and will never change – is our commitment to serve the people of Wales. We’ve come full circle: the people made us and we aim to reward their faith in us by giving something back, through helping to support the three key aspects of the nation as a sustainable community – its culture, its environment and its economy.