10 years of the Wales Summer University

Turn on the travel news on Radio Wales and you'll hear Jake Strong update you on the driving conditions on the roads. He'll also invite you to call with traffic information “if its safe and legal to do so”.

Now the Wales Summer University is calling in Jake to share in the celebrations of its 10th anniversary at the National Assembly Building in Cardiff on July 8th in the company of Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Education and Life Long Learning, and dozens of other former Wales Summer University students from across Wales.

The event is being hosted by Ceredigion AM Elin Jones who knows the Summer University well.
“The Wales Summer University has provided disadvantaged young people from all parts of Wales the opportunity to come to Ceredigion and experience the high-quality tuition provided at Aberystwyth and Lampeter Universities. I’m sure that those who have attended the Summer University over the past 10 years have very much valued the opportunities provided by this scheme and I congratulate the organisers on achieving this significant milestone”.

Launched in July 2000 the West Wales Summer University was a unique and innovative widening access scheme. It targeted talented young people from disadvantaged communities across Wales and aimed to raise levels of skills and confidence in order to encourage and enable the participants to aim for, and achieve at, Higher Education.

From its initial intake of 29 participants in 2000 the scheme grew to 154 in 2004 as more and more school teachers and youth workers from across all parts of Wales appreciated its value for the young people. On Monday 13 July 85 new students will join this year’s Wales Summer University which is 3 times oversubscribed.

It has also been recognised at the highest level. In 2001 it was nominated as an example of best practice by Universities UK in its report From Elitism to Inclusion and was similarly acknowledged in 2005 by the then Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning at Westminster, Dr Ruth Kelley.

Dr Sue Pester, Director of the West and Mid Wales Widening Access Partnership and one of the founders of the Wales Summers University said;
“Staying in a university, studying in university departments and socialising with trained under-graduate students was quite different from anything that had been offered before. Unlike the one-week English summer schools the Wales Summer University is six weeks long and includes free transport home each weekend. Over that period of time it can not only raise aspirations but also helps the young people with their skills and their academic achievements.”

“All the students who have been through the Wales Summer University testify to its success with over 75% going into Higher Education. Despite the hard work all those who take part love the scheme and many have returned to work as Leaders or Co-ordinators. It is particularly pleasing to note that many have progressed into exciting careers and are working as lawyers, teachers, social workers and university lecturers.”

“The Wales Summer University began as a millennium project and has grown to be a life-changing experience for a thousand young people who most needed support,” she added.

As part of the 10th anniversary celebrations over 100 former students will be returning to Aberystwyth on Monday 6 July for a reunion which is being hosted by Aberystwyth University, University of Wales, Lampeter and the Guild of Students at Aberystwyth.