Academi Hywel Teifi is a very special institution established by Swansea University in 2010 in memory of the University's former Welsh Professor and one of the nation's greats, Professor Hywel Teifi Edwards. The Academi is a unique organisation and the body that is greater than the sum of its parts which are three specific units:
As well as empowering the status and use of the Welsh language, Academi Hywel Teifi's vision is to support students of all ages and educational, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds to learn Welsh or develop their skills in the language. It also works to promote the opportunities and benefits of studying through the medium of Welsh, together with presenting and celebrating its culture. Providing education in the Welsh language is at the core of Swansea University's work and strategy because of the institution's leading role in contemporary Wales, its regional and national responsibility, and its statutory responsibility.
The Academi also provides a community for everyone who offers education through the medium of Welsh at the university and for the thousands of students who speak Welsh here, promoting collaboration, entrepreneurship and creating opportunities through the medium of Welsh. The aim is to ensure that Swansea University students will have the best of both worlds - a Welsh and Welsh experience at a university with multicultural and international links.
The Academic and Creative Provision Unit includes the Swansea Branch of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and Ty'r Gwrhyd, Swansea Valley Welsh Centre. The team is involved in the work of stimulating and developing the Welsh-medium academic provision and promoting it to students. The team is also in charge of organising Welsh-medium outreach events, of coordinating the activities of Ty'r Gwrhyd, Swansea Valley Welsh Centre, of managing the University's relationship with its Welsh Alumni, fellows and friends, and of organising Swansea University's presence at national festivals and public events such as the National Eisteddfod and the Urdd Eisteddfod.
Learn Welsh - Swansea Bay Region aims to deliver high quality Welsh language courses and activities on behalf of the National Centre for Learning Welsh in the Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot areas across all levels.
The emphasis is very much on developing conversational Welsh skills, and that your growing relationship with the Welsh language is rewarding and fun. Learn Welsh – Swansea Bay Region’s (LWSBR) administrative headquarters is in the Talbot Building on Swansea University’s Singleton Campus, and offers a range of facilities to support our learners. We deliver courses in a variety of venues across the region, ensuring that provision is as conveniently available to learners as possible.
We also have two other ‘satellite centres’ supporting our aims to promote the benefits of learning Welsh. These are the Welsh centres in Tŷ Tawe, at the heart of the city of Swansea (in Christina Street off The Kingsway), and Tŷ’r Gwrhyd situated in the centre of Pontardawe (adjacent to the library). We work closely with the local ‘mentrau iaith’ or language initiatives to make these centres local hubs of Welsh-language activity and support, and they are a great place to shop for learning resources and goods.
Managed by Sarah Gray, this team performs two functions:
The Academi's work is divided into three themes - Learn, Develop and Celebrate. Click on the themes below to learn more about our work.
