History of the University

The University of Wales, Newport was admitted to the University of Wales as a University College in April 1996 and became a full Constituent Institution of the University of Wales in 2003.

The University has a rich and varied history and can trace its roots back to the formation of the Newport Mechanics Institute in 1841.

In 1870, this gave birth to Schools of Art and Science in Newport which in turn became Newport Technical Institute, based in Clarence Place, in September 1910.

The Technical Institute expanded during the first half of the twentieth century and as a result, a separate College of Art and a College of Technology were formed in 1958 with the latter being jointly administered up to 1974 by Monmouthshire County Council and Newport Borough Council.

Newport College of Art was one of the first colleges in the country to be allowed to award the new degree equivalent qualification introduced to replace the NDD - Diploma of Art and Design in 1963. When the Diploma was itself replaced in 1973 the College was approved to offer honours degrees in Fine Art and Graphic Design.

The Monmouthshire Training College, better known as Caerleon College, opened in October 1914.

The College became co-educational in 1962 and the admission of women contributed to its very rapid expansion during the 1960s, from 140 to 750 students.

Expansion was easily accommodated on a large and imposing site (currently 32 acres) standing above the Roman town of Caerleon, which permitted major building and ensured the future of the College as a leading provider of trained teachers in Wales.

In 1975, the Gwent College of Higher Education was formed as a result of the merger of the Caerleon College of Education (the former Monmouthshire Training College), Newport College of Art and Design and Gwent College of Technology.

Each brought to the merged institution established regional and national reputations. The College was administered by the Gwent County Council from September 1975 to April 1992 when it achieved corporate status.

During this period the greater part of its Further Education portfolio was transferred to Further Education 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.

In terms of the range and level of courses, it became the most strongly polytechnic in character of all of the public sector institutions in Wales.

In 1992 the Caerleon campus was ravaged by fire - fortunately, leaving the landmark clocktower unscathed.

Gwent College of Higher Education was granted taught degree awarding powers by the Privy Council in April 1995 which resulted in its admission to the University of Wales as the University of Wales College, Newport in April 1996.It became a full Constituent Institution of the University of Wales in 2003.

University Of South Wales