Wrexham University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Wrexham University

Prifysgol Wrecsam
Coat of arms Flag
Former name	Wrexham School of Science and Art (1887) Denbighshire Technical Institute (1927) Denbighshire Technical College (1939) North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (1975–2008) Glyndŵr University (2008–2016) Wrexham Glyndŵr University (2016–2023)
Motto	Welsh: Hyder trwy Addysg
Motto in English	Confidence through Education
Type	Public
Established	1887 (1887) (Wrexham School of Science and Art) 2008 (2008) as a university (Glyndŵr University)
Endowment	£0.2 million (2022)
Budget	£44.8 million (2021–22)
Chancellor	Colin Jackson
Vice-Chancellor	Joe Yates
Students	(2015/16)
Undergraduates	(2015/16)
Postgraduates	(2015/16)
Location	Wrexham , Wales 53°03′14″N 3°00′22″W / 53.054°N 3.006°W / 53.054; -3.006
Campus	Urban
Colours	Scarlet red      and Gold      (while Glyndŵr)

Main Wrexham building

Wrexham University (which is Prifysgol Wrecsam in Welsh) is a public university. It is located in the north-east of Wales. The university has campuses in Wrexham, Northop, and St Asaph. It offers many different courses, from first degrees (undergraduate) to advanced studies (postgraduate). It also has special courses for professional careers.

The university started a long time ago as the Wrexham School of Science and Art in 1887. Over the years, it changed names several times. In 1975, it became the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI). In 2008, it officially became a university and was named Glyndŵr University. This name honored Owain Glyndŵr, a Welsh leader from the 1400s. He was born near Wrexham and wanted to create universities in Wales. In 2016, "Wrexham" was added to the name. Then, in late 2023, it changed to its current name, Wrexham University.

The university has a special place called the Wall Recording Studio. This studio is part of its School of Creative Arts. It used to be the home of a community radio station called Calon FM.

History of Wrexham University

The story of Wrexham University began in 1887. This is when the Wrexham School of Science and Art (WSSA) first opened. At that time, people like John Viriamu Jones were calling for a University of Wales. By 1924, the WSSA started offering science degrees. These degrees were approved by the University of London.

The school's name changed many times over the years. In 1927, it became the Denbighshire Technical Institute. Then, in 1939, it was called Denbighshire Technical College. In 1975, it merged with other colleges to become the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI). At first, its degrees were approved by the University of Salford.

In 1993, NEWI became a partner of the University of Wales. All further education courses in Wrexham moved to Yale College Wrexham. By 2004, NEWI became a full member of the University of Wales. It gained the power to create and offer its own degrees in 2006. The university was officially renamed "Glyndŵr University" in July 2008. This happened after it was allowed to award its own degrees. Important visitors included Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 and Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester in 2005.

In 2016, the university's name changed slightly to "Wrexham Glyndŵr University." From 2008 to 2019, the main Wrexham campus hosted Wales Comic Con.

In August 2022, the university announced it was thinking about changing its name again. It wanted to become "Wrexham University" and drop "Glyndŵr." After talking with staff, students, and other groups, this plan was approved. The name change became official in September 2023. The university said that the increased attention on Wrexham helped with this decision. This attention came from the success of Wrexham A.F.C., the TV show Welcome to Wrexham, and Wrexham becoming a city. The university still celebrates Owain Glyndŵr's legacy. It even offers a top graduate award in his name.

University Campuses

Wrexham University has several locations in Wrexham and other parts of north-east Wales.

Wrexham Campuses

The university has two main sites in Wrexham.

Plas Coch Campus

The Centre for the Creative Industries, Wrexham

The main campus is at Plas Coch. It covers a large area of about 93 acres. This campus has many classrooms, lecture halls, workshops, and labs. It also has a library called the Edward Llwyd Centre. There is a sports center and a special building for creative industries. Other facilities include a human performance lab and the Catrin Finch Centre. The Welsh international hockey team also uses facilities here.

A science discovery center called Xplore! Science Discovery Centre used to be on the Plas Coch campus. It was known as 'Techniquest Glyndŵr' for many years. In 2019, this center moved to a new location in Wrexham city centre. It reopened there in October 2020.

Regent Street Campus

Regent Street site in Wrexham

The other Wrexham campus is on Regent Street. It is close to the city center. This site is home to the university's North Wales School of Art and Design. This building used to house the Denbighshire Technical College.

In 2011, the university bought the Racecourse Ground. This is the home stadium of Wrexham FC. It was renamed the Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium. The university sold the stadium back to the club in June 2022. The university also has its own music recording facilities, including The Wall Recording Studio.

Northop Campus

University building in St Asaph Business Park

The university shares a campus in Northop, Flintshire, with Coleg Cambria. This campus used to be the Welsh College of Horticulture. It focuses on teaching about animal behavior, horse science, and veterinary nursing. There is a special clinic for veterinary nursing students at this campus. About one hundred university students study at Northop each year.

St Asaph Campus

Wrexham University also has a campus in St Asaph Business Park. This campus has a research center. It specializes in opto-electronics technology. This involves using light and electronics together. The campus also has other science labs and facilities for research and meetings.

What You Can Study

The university offers about 150 different study programs. These include foundation degrees, higher national diplomas (HND/Cs), bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctorates. You can study many subjects like Art & Design, Engineering, Science, and Health and Social Care. Other areas include Criminology, Sports Sciences, Computing, Music Technology, and Business.

All courses are taught in English. However, you can choose to study or be tested in Welsh for some parts. There is also a foundation degree in professional Welsh. The North Wales School of Art and Design at Wrexham Glyndŵr University was named the best place to study Art in Wales in 2017. It also ranked 12th among all UK universities.

Wrexham Glyndwr University is known for helping its students find jobs after they graduate. A high percentage of its students get jobs after finishing their studies.

International Connections

The university has partnerships with other universities and organizations around the world. These links are in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Wrexham University is also part of the Fair Trade Coalition.

University Leadership

The first leader of the North East Wales Institute was Glyn O. Phillips. Later leaders included John O. Williams and Michael Scott. In April 2016, Maria Hinfelaar became the Vice-Chancellor. Joe Yates took over from Maria Hinfelaar in August 2024.

Student Life at Wrexham University

Students at Wrexham University come from all over the United Kingdom and the European Union. Many older students also choose to study here. About 54% of students are over 21, and 17% are over 40.

Student Housing

There are three main places for students to live in Wrexham. These are the Student Village, Wrexham Village, and Snowdon Hall. There is also Corbishley Hall at the Northop campus. The Student Village has houses divided into flats. Snowdon Hall, Bath Road, and Clwyd House are near Wrexham city. Snowdon Hall has private bathrooms in each room. All student housing at Wrexham University is self-catering, meaning students cook for themselves.

Sports, Clubs, and Activities

Wrexham University sports teams compete in British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS). In the 2017–18 school year, the university had 9 teams in the BUCS structure. These teams play sports like Men's Rugby Union, Women's Netball, and Men's Basketball. They also play Men's Hockey, Men's and Women's Football, and Futsal.

The Wrexham University Sports Centre has a large hall. This hall is big enough for national competitions in badminton, netball, basketball, volleyball, futsal, and handball. It also has space for table tennis and martial arts.

The university has many interesting facilities. These include a radio studio, sound recording studio, and engineering labs. There is also an art gallery, IT facilities, and theatre studios. The university even has its own motor racing team. This team is run by students studying car performance engineering. There is also a special lab for crime scene investigation.

The Plas Coch campus has an active student union. The student union bar is now located in the football stadium's Centenary Club. In August 2011, the university bought Wrexham FC's Racecourse Ground. This stadium is also home to the North Wales Crusaders rugby team and the North Wales Regional Hockey Stadium.

In October 2014, former Welsh international footballer Robbie Savage received an honorary award from the university. This was for his contributions to sport.

See also

• Armorial of UK universities
• Education in Wales
• List of universities in Wales
• List of UK universities