Our History

Old image of Newport Mechanics Institute in 1841

Newport Mechanics Institute (1841)

The Newport Mechanics Institute, founded in 1841 in Newport city centre, was established to provide further education for workers and tradesmen. Working men and women were able to attend a variety of lectures for two shillings per quarter, to study subjects such as ‘the pursuit of attainment and knowledge’ and ‘popular superstition’.

Old image of Newport Technical Institute in 1910

Newport Technical Institute (1910)

The Newport Technical Institute opened in 1910 and was known locally as the ‘School of Art’. The iconic red-brick building with a copper dome, which stands on the banks of the River Usk, was a fully equipped and purpose-built institution that was a model technical institute and art school of its day.

South Wales and Monmouthshire School of Mines (1913)

Local industrial leaders came together in 1913 to form the South Wales and Monmouthshire School of Mines. It served the coal mining industry that dominated the South Wales valleys and was owned and funded by major Welsh coal owners. It was renamed the School of Mines and Technology in the 1940s, training young coal workers and army cadets.

Caerleon Training College building in 1914

Caerleon Training College (1914)

The college (formerly named Monmouthshire Training College) opened in 1914 to train male students as teachers. It was not until 1962 that Caerleon College admitted female students, and a rapid expansion followed, with numbers growing from 140 to 750.

Glamorgan Technical College building in 1949

Glamorgan Technical College (1949)

The School of Mines and Technology became Glamorgan Technical College in 1949, reflecting its expanding portfolio, and was re-named the Glamorgan College of Technology in 1958. By this time, the institution offered a range of courses in science, technology, and commerce. The first ever Welsh for Adults course was added in 1967.

Glamorgan Polytechnic (1970)

In 1970 the college became a polytechnic – a tertiary educational institution offering higher diplomas, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Glamorgan Polytechnic merged with the Glamorgan College of Education in Barry and was re-designated as the Polytechnic of Wales in 1975.

Gwent College of Higher Education building in 1975

Gwent College of Higher Education (1975)

Caerleon College of Education, Newport College of Art and Design and Gwent College of Technology merged in 1975 to form the Gwent College of Higher Education. Between September 1975 and April 1992 most of its Further Education portfolio was transferred to colleges, and it became firmly established as the only Higher Education institution in Gwent and one of the major providers of Higher Education in Wales.

The University of Glamorgan building in 1992

The University of Glamorgan (1992)

The Polytechnic of Wales in Treforest achieved university status in 1992 and became the University of Glamorgan, with more than 11,500 students enrolled on just one campus. This status meant that the institution was now able to award its own undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in a range of subjects.

The University of Wales College Newport building in 1996

The University of Wales College Newport (1996)

In 1996, the Gwent College of Higher Education was admitted into the University of Wales as the University of Wales College Newport. Delegated powers to supervise research degrees, including PhDs, were awarded to the college by the University of Wales. The College prepared for university status by expanding its curriculum, growing its international links and increasing its use of European funding to support regional development work.

The University of Wales, Newport in 2004

The University of Wales, Newport (2004)

In May 2004 the University of Wales College, Newport secured Privy Council Approval to use the title University of Wales, Newport, as a full constituent of the federal university, with a community of students from more than 50 countries.

The College Merthyr Tydfil (2006)

The College Merthyr Tydfil became part of the University of Glamorgan in 2006.

Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2007

Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (2007)

The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, a conservatoire based in Cardiff, became a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Glamorgan in 2007.

Exterior view of the University's Cardiff Campus.

Atrium Building, Cardiff Campus (2007)

The University of Glamorgan opened its ATRiuM building in Cardiff city centre in 2007, offering a dedicated learning facility for creative industries students. The state-of-the-art building brought together the creative disciplines of art and design, media and communication, and drama and music.

UHOVI (2009)

The Universities Heads of the Valleys Institute (UHOVI) was launched in 2009 as a partnership between the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport, with the aim of encouraging more people to consider higher education in some of Wales’s most deprived areas.

Newport Campus (2011)

The £35m Newport Campus opened in Newport city centre in 2011, housing 2,700 students from Newport Business School and much of the University’s School of Media and Design. The iconic building, on the banks of the River Usk, was seen as an important feature of the city centre’s regeneration.

Students and staff of the newly formed USW in 2013

The University of South Wales (2013)

In April 2013, USW was formed following a merger of the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport. Since its formation, the University has offered over 500 courses, welcoming students from more than 120 countries.

Cardiff Campus extension (2016)

Cardiff Campus extension In November 2016, a £15m extension was officially opened at the existing Atrium building in Cardiff. The campus replicates industry workplaces across the creative industries sector, from film and television to animation, drama, photography, and music.

Rugby student stood in Sport Park facilities with pitch behind him

USW Sport Park development (2018)

In January 2018, a £15m development to USW Sport Park was unveiled, including the first full-size indoor 3G football pitch at a Welsh university, which meets the Fifa Pro and World Rugby 22 standard, and a specialist centre for strength and conditioning.

180 years of History