Welsh Language Standards Compliance Report 1 August 2019 – 31 July 2020

Swansea University received its final compliance notice from the Welsh Language Commissioner in September 2017 which outlined the University’s duty to meet the statutory Welsh Language Standards established by the Welsh Government under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.

This report is published in accordance with Standards 166, 172 and 178.

The Welsh Language Strategy Committee is chaired by Professor Elwen Evans KC, Executive Dean PVC of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The Committee’s role is to develop and implement a strategy for the use of Welsh and the development of Welsh-medium education, meeting once every academic term, and reports to the Senate. The Welsh Language Policy Officers attend the meetings to report to its members on matters relating to the Welsh Language Standards, particularly any which are relevant to academic staff. 

The Welsh Language Policy Officers promote, facilitate, support and monitor the operation of the Welsh Language Standards. The role is shared by two part-time members of staff, Nia Besley and Emily Hammett (total of 1.1FTE).  They are supported two days a week by a Compliance Assistant, Lisa Hughes. This team of three forms part of the University’s Legal and Compliance Services, which is based within the Vice-Chancellor’s Office.   

Academi Hywel Teifi (Director, Dr. Gwenno Ffrancon) leads the role of developing Welsh-medium academic provision and support, working closely with the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

The University has an internal Welsh translation team led by Sarah Gray. There are seven members of staff in the team, working broadly the equivalent of six full-time staff. They provide written and spoken translation. The team is part of the Academic Services directorate.

Katie Phillips is Swansea University Students’ Union’s full-time Welsh Affairs Officer.

The COVID-19 crisis has led to a significant change to the way in which the University operates. Despite this, concerted efforts were made from the very beginning to ensure services were still able to operate bilingually e.g. via an online chat service. Some technological challenges arose in using interpreting in video meetings, but these have now been resolved (Zoom is used). With adjustments such as these in place, compliance with the Welsh Language Standards can continue.

The Welsh Language Policy Officers continue to use various methods to promote and educate and to monitor compliance: various internal e-communication methods, induction session for staff (which is available in both Welsh and English), tailored surgeries and specific training. They also work with the student body to emphasise their rights.

As noted above, during 2019-2020, a substantial proportion of the University’s services had to be adapted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Assurances were made that students and the public were still able to communicate with the University in Welsh, using alternative methods such as online chat. 

The following general principles help to ensure compliance with the Service Delivery Standards (with reference to the relevant activities listed in paragraph 31 of the Welsh Language Standards (No. 6) Regulations 2017):

• Students are asked when applying to the University, and again upon enrolment, for their language preference as well as their language skills. These are recorded on the student records system and are clearly visible on the student profile for any staff who have access to the system. Students are able to change the information themselves at any time.
• Correspondence to more than one student (except specific academic course content, unless delivered through the medium of Welsh) is issued bilingually.
• When communicating with an individual student, the language preference will be verified by the member of staff on the student record.
• Correspondence to the public, written, electronic, or information presented on the website or on signage, will be bilingual unless the language of an individual or a group of individuals is known.
• All correspondence or communication received in Welsh will receive a reply in Welsh, with no additional delay.
• The principal corporate social media accounts are bilingual, as well as the main account of each college or relevant professional services unit.
• The ‘Mae gen i hawl’ (“I have a right”) student Welsh language rights campaign, initiated by the Welsh Language Commissioner and adapted by the University, is promoted throughout the year, but particularly at specific times of the year (e.g. freshers’ week, open days etc.).
• A full Welsh service is provided on the relevant reception areas listed in the compliance notice, as well as on the main switchboard and MyUniHub telephone line.
• All other reception areas, as well as departmental telephone numbers, have been advised to identify Welsh speakers who would be able to provide a service in Welsh if required, or as a final resort, to be aware that there are Welsh speakers on the main switchboard/key reception areas, for members of the public, or at the MyUniHub (telephone or reception) for students. As stated above, alternative acceptable arrangements are in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

All new policies and strategies are subject to Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) processes. The EIA forms have a section on the Welsh language. Case studies have also been created in order to assist in the process of giving full consideration to implications on the Welsh language. The University Equalities team works with the Welsh Language Policy Officers to analyse draft EIA forms and allow for early intervention in the decision process if required. The Welsh Language Policy Officers keep records of all completed EIAs.

The University operates a policy on using the Welsh language internally for the purpose of promoting and facilitating the use of the language.

All new employees who indicate when offered that they would like an interview through the medium of Welsh, and existing members of staff who declare when prompted a Welsh language preference, will receive a contract of employment in Welsh, as well as subsequent employment-related correspondence addressed to them individually.

Staff are able to note their language preference on the human resources system, ABW, and this record will be checked when relevant correspondence is issued.

All relevant Human Resources policies are available bilingually on the intranet.

Opportunities are provided for staff to learn Welsh at any level (with assistance from the Learn Welsh Swansea Bay Centre which is based on Singleton campus). Previously-established informal opportunities for staff to come together to speak Welsh (at all levels) were put on hold in early summer after having converted from being on campus to Zoom due to COVID-19. This was due to the fact that the Learn Welsh Centre started running coffee mornings on Zoom (level-specific), and staff were encouraged to attend these in order to be able develop in a more structured way.  

The Welsh Language Policy Officers have created a compliance monitoring framework that entails self-monitoring for each college and professional services department, as well as a programme of spot-checks carried out by the Welsh language compliance team. The results form the basis of engagement and improvement measures with each area.

One complaint was received via the the Welsh Language Commissioner in July 2020.

All job applicants are asked for their Welsh language skills, and this information is fed through to the Human Resources system if the individual is appointed. All members of staff are able to update their Welsh language skills on a self-service basis within the HR system, and are reminded to do so annually. Staff are also encouraged to revisit this information as they improve their Welsh language skills.

The Welsh language skills of staff as at 31 July 2020 were as follows:

TOTAL STAFF 4062

Administrative staff (2245 Total )

Academic staff (Total 1817)

In addition to the wide range of courses offered by Learn Welsh Swansea Bay Region on the University campuses and in the community (or on Zoom during the COVID-19 outbreak), the Welsh Language Policy Officers offer specific courses, free of charge for staff: a “meet and greet” course (a 10-hour basic Welsh course), a “proficiency” course (a 20-hour course to refine fluent/near-fluent Welsh skills) and an hour-long course that details the Welsh Language Standards requirements.  

• The proficiency course was halfway through when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but the lessons moved seamlessly to video calls.
• Two of the meet and greet courses that had been arranged for March and April had to be postponed. However an online course began in June. In discussion with Learn Welsh Swansea Bay Region, the decision was made to adjust the format of these lessons from two full days in the classroom to a longer series of shorter sessions at lunchtime. Learners reacted well to this as it allowed them to fit in Welsh lesson around their work, and avoided lengthy video sessions.
• The Welsh Language Standards Awareness course continues on Zoom.

In addition to the official sessions, awareness and language sessions are also conducted in a less formal manner as required.  

The members of staff that completed the training is as follows: 

“Meet and greet” course: 17

“Proficiency” course: 15

Welsh Language Awareness course: 8

The number of staff completing the meet and greet course is lower than last year. One clear reason for this is COVID-19, in that courses were postponed (e.g. one course that would have run during the summer term was moved to September) and also the fact that staff have been under additional pressure in terms of work, family, wellbeing etc. In spite of this, it has been a pleasure to see such a positive response to learning Welsh amongst our staff during lockdown. 

A Welsh skills assessment is carried out when a new role is created or when filling an empty role. During the period in question, jobs were advertised as follows:

Further information regarding the University’s commitment to the Welsh language is available here:

https://www.swansea.ac.uk/welsh-language-standards/

Alternatively, you may contact the Welsh Language Policy Officers:

Email: welshlanguageoffice@swansea.ac.uk