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Wrexham University

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North East Wales Institute of Higher Education
Athrofa Addysg Uwch Gogledd Ddwyrain Cymru
File:Newi.png
Established1975
PrincipalMichael Scott
Students7,410 (2005/2006) [1]
Undergraduates6,840 [1]
Postgraduates435 [1]
Other students
135 [1]
Address
Plas Coch Campus
Mold Road
Wrexham
LL11 2AW
,
Wrexham
,
Wales, UK
AffiliationsUniversity of Wales
Websitehttp://www.newi.ac.uk/

The North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (Welsh: Athrofa Addysg Uwch Gogledd Ddwyrain Cymru, commonly: NEWI, officially North East Wales Institute of Higher Education) is a higher education institution based in Wrexham, in North Wales, UK.

It is a member of the federal University of Wales. The Principal is Professor Michael Scott. Newi has approximately 6'000 full time students and around 350 from outside the UK (2007). [2]

History

NEWI was formed in 1975 by the merger of Denbighshire Technical College, Cartrefle Teacher Training College and Kelsterton College of Connah's Quay, Deeside. Initially, its degrees were validated by the University of Salford.

In 1993, NEWI became an associate member of the University of Wales. At this time all further education courses in Wrexham were moved to Yale College (Welsh:Colleg Lal), Grove Park Road Campus. In 2004, NEWI became a full member of the University of Wales and as of 2006 NEWI was accredited by the University of Wales and exercised devolved powers to validate and deliver its own University of Wales degrees. NEWI is in the process of gaining taught degree awarding powers after which the institution may seek university title. Until then NEWI is a full member of the University of Wales and offers both undergraduate and postgraduate University of Wales degrees. NEWI was visited by HM The Queen in 2003 [3] and by HRH the Duchess of Gloucester in 2005.

Newi's origins date back to the opening of Wrexham School of Science and Art in 1887. At this time Viriamu Jones called for a University of Wales. Higher education has been delivered in Wrexham since 1892. The WSSA began offering University of London degrees in Science in 1924. The original name of Wrexham School of Science and Art was changed several times. In 1927, it became Denbighshire Technical Institute becoming Denbighshire Technical College in 1939 prior to it's merger with Cartrefle and Kelerston to become NEWI.

NEWI extended the amount and range of its projects internationally in the 1980s. They formed Khartoum Polytechnic, Westbank University, Lerothli Polytechnic and developed more networks of Universities in Africa and Asia.

Campus

Newi is based over two campuses. Its main campus at Plas Coch covers 31 acres. This site was inherited from the former Cartrefle TTC who moved to the site in 1953. Its second campus in Regent Street is home to Newi's School of Art and Design which formerly housed the Denbighshire Technical college, who moved to the site in 1927 (under their previous name of Denbighshire Technical Institute). Its Plas Coch campus houses over 70 seminar suites, conferance suites, lecture theatures, work shops and laboratories complimented with library (Edward Llwyd Centre) and learning resource facilities. The Plas Coch campus is also home to a fair sized sports centre (the Plas Coch Sports Centre), a human performance lab, the Terry Hands studio, William Aston Hall, Gallery 103, The Welsh International Hockey Team and Techniquest, a science discovery centre, open to the public.



Courses

Newi runs 150 programmes from it's two campuses situated in Wrexham. They offer foundation, HND/Cs, honours and masters degrees and Doctorates. NEWI offers a broad variety of qualifications and often caters to specific fields of study. In addition to professional courses such as Initial Teacher Training, Nursing and Social work, NEWI offers a range of postgraduate and undergraduate qualifications in Art & Design, Engineering, Science, Humanities, Health and Social Care, Sports Sciences, Computing and Communication Technology and Business. Although all courses are offered in English there are options to study or to be assessed in the Welsh language (Cymraeg).

NEWI is active in postgraduate research particularly in the field of Science but also in Engineering, Health, Business and the Arts. The institution is currently working towards RAE 2008 and seeks to build upon its previous success as 3* rated in Science.

Newi is unique in offering a degree in Illustration for Children's Publishing. It is the only place in the UK to do so.

Sports, clubs and traditions

Newi boasts a large sports centre, a radio studio, sound recording studio, enginering labortories, art gallery, IT facilities, theatre studios, motor racing team, a dedicated scene of crime lab and the unusual asset of a Chinese medicine clinic. The Plas Coch site is home to the active NEWI student union as well as the NEWI student Union Bar named 'Degrees'. Newi has it's own car racing team which is run by the engineering programmes Car Performance degrees. The North Wales Clinical School opened in 2007 at NEWI's Plas Coch campus.

Newi's neighbours at its plas Coch campus are Wrexham FC, the Racket Centre, the North Wales Regional Hockey Stadium and the Plas Coch retail park. The retail park includes several well known large stores including Boots, Sainsburys and JJB sports. It is also the current location of Wrexham cinema. Wrexham FC, formarly Wrexham AFC, who play at the Race Course grounds (Welsh: Y Cae Ras) are now nicknamed the Red Dragons and were previously known commonly as the Red Robbins. They are a second devision team and one of three Welsh teams to play in an English league. Newi has a good relationship with the club and its supporters. NEWI's Plas Coch sports centre is host to the NEWI nets who are North Wales's highest ranking basketball team.

The NEWI nets played in the National devision 3 in 2003-2004 gaining 5th place. They were then invited to play in the National devision 2 in 2004-2005 and in 2006-2007. [4]. The NEWI nets celebrated their thousanth game as a national team on March 21st, 2007. [5]

NEWI recently aquired its North wales regional hockey stadium after a 1million pound investment from Sport@NEWI and the Sports Council for Wales. It is a water based, astro trurf stadium with room for 200 spectators which is flood lit.

Newi is a member of the Fair Trade Coalition. It displays the Fair trade logo and sells Fair Trade items in its cafes/shops. NEWI recently ran a fair trade fortnight to publise and show support for the cause. It ran between the 26th February to 9th of March.

Companies

NEWI has three subsidiary companies.

  • NEWI innovation
  • North Wales Science (Techniquest)
  • Plas Coch Sports

Newi has six collabrative partners.

Students and Faculty

Students

Although the institution is based in Wales, its students are from all over the UK and the EU, and the number of international students is growing. NEWI's base in Wrexham offers economical student living for UK students and those from abroad. Indeed, NEWI is particularly popular with EU students who have established a firm base in Wrexham making NEWI one of the top 10 most popular destinations for EU undergraduate higher education students in the whole of the UK [1]. NEWI is also incredably popular with mature students. Around 70% of NEWI students are over twentyone with 17% over the age of forty. [6]

NEWI has its own nursery called Little Scholers. This provides places for students children between the ages of 0-5. In the holidays a Little Scholars holiday club is provided plus the active 8-2-14 club. NEWI gives awards in sports especially Hockey.

Accomodation

Newi has three main Halls of residence, namely the Student village, Plas Coch Hostel and Snowdon Hall and two smaller halls of residence named Bath Road House and Cllwyd House. Both Plas Coch Hostel and the Student Village are on the main NEWI site with the hostel being the older and smaller of the two. The student village is separated into houses and the houses into flats. Snowdon Hall, Bath Road and CLlwyd House are in the vicinity of Wrexham town. The student village and Snowdon Hall are on suite and the rest are shared facilities. All of NEWI's accomodation is self catering. Snowdon Hall is separated into four separate blocks of lockable flats and is currently liesed from and run by the Opal group.

Faculty

NEWI's first principle was Proffessor John O'Williams. He retired in 1991 and NEWI were joined by Proffessor Glyn O' Phillips. Following the retirement of Prof. Phillips in 1999, NEWI appointed Prof. Scott in 2001 who is the current Principle and Cheif Executive. Prof.Scott is, himself, a former student of the University of Wales, Lampeter.

NEWI has two assistant Principles. The Assistant Principle for Undergraduate studies is also the Dean of the Health, Arts and Education faculty Prof. Kate Sullivan. The assistant Principle for reasearch and postgraduate studies is also the Dean of the Bussiness, Science and Technology faculty Graeme Wilkinson.

Famous people from North East Wales


For a list of notable people from Wrexham see people from Wrexham. For a more complete list of Notable Welsh People, see List of Welsh people. See below (external links) for links to the official NEWI site and photo evidence of NEWI history.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Table 0a - All students by institution, mode of study, level of study, gender and domicile 2005/06". Higher Education Statistics Agency online statistics. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  2. ^ http://www.newi.ac.uk/en/aboutNEWI/didyouknow/
  3. ^ http://www.newi.ac.uk/imagegallery/History%20of%20NEWI/Royal%20Visit%202003/slides/7587.htm
  4. ^ http://www.newi.ac.uk/en/studyingatNEWI/studentsupportservices/sportsfacilities/NEWINetsBasketball/
  5. ^ http://www.netsbasketball.co.uk/fullnews.php
  6. ^ http://www.newi.ac.uk/en/aboutNEWI/didyouknow/

The Queen visits NEWI see http://www.newi.ac.uk/imagegallery/History%20of%20NEWI/Royal%20Visit%202003/slides/7343.htm

Has a photo album of pictures of the area, the old technical colleges, the Queen etc.

  • [2] (Photo of The Racecourse Ground -W.FC)
  • [3] Home of the NEWI nets
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