Judith James is Deputy Head of Department, with particular responsibility for Finance, Administration, External Funding and Projects. She is responsible for the development and management of all external funding opportunities. Judith joined DACE in 1990 and was responsible for strategic funding applications to develop the 'Community University of the Valleys Partnership', the 'Connecting Communities Cymru' and linked community development projects. She has developed projects focussed on women, refugees, and people living in socially disadvantaged communities.Currently Judith is also directly managing a three year transnational Grundtvig project, ‘Parenting in a multicultural European city’ which has eleven European partners.

Research interests

All of DACE’s innovative development projects include research elements. The research undertaken within projects is a core part of the Department’s research activities. Using this funding, Judith undertook tracking research into student destinations that led to publications and an entry for the National Training Awards. The entry was awarded Wales, National and Special National (Community contribution) Awards.

Judith is a member of a small externally funded research team carrying out academic research commissioned by OCN on the impact of ‘Access to H.E.’ courses in Wales, which will contribute to the RAE.

Judith’s research interests are in empowerment and mainstreaming equality. She is also involved in the evaluation of EC funded programmes.

Publications / Papers

• James, J and Preece, J., (2005) ‘Training Community Tutors.’ Conference presentation and paper : Slovenian Institute for Adult Education 8th Adult Education Colloquium 2004, http://llw.acs.si/ac/08/programme/datoteke/8th_Adult_Education_Colloquium Pp 53-62

• James,J and Preece,J., (2003) ‘Equalities and Equal Opportunities Training in Relation to Employment in Wales in 2003’ Commissioned by Welsh Development Agency

• James,J., and Preece,J.,(2002) ‘Was I.T. good for you?’ Occasional Research Paper, Department of Adult Continuing Education, University of Wales Swansea. Commissioned by Community University of the Valleys as a small scale research project. http://www.cuv.org.uk/good-practice.htm#pilot2002

• James, J & Preece, J., (2002) ‘Was IT good for you? The perceived attraction of ICT for adults returning to education.’ Chapter 11 p.p. 114-126 in ‘Attracting and Retaining Learners: Policy and Practice Parspectives.’ Eds. Saunders,D., Payne, R., Mason, A., Storan, J. Pub. Forum for the Advancement of Continuing Education,(FACE) 2002. ISBN 1-840540-86-9

• James, J. Preece, J & Williams, M., 'NO LIMIT' (New Opportunities for Linguists in Management and Information Technology): a University-based Continuing Education Project'. Paper presented at the UACE conference, Royal Holloway College, University of London, April 2000.

• Davies,D. Howells,D. James, J. John, R. Kop, R. and Salomon, N. 'The potential of using the Internet in a NOW project focussing on linguists.' In P.Marquet, S. Mathey, A. Jaillet & E.Nissen (Eds) Internet -based teaching and learning.(IN_TELE)98 Frankfurt am Main: Lang, pp 65 – 68

Community Activities

Judith is a founder member of the Valleys Initiative for the Employment of Women (VIEW) which founded the DOVE workshop and the Glynneath Training Centre.

Judith is a member of Niace Dysgu Cymru regional network (South West Wales). Judith represented DACE in the Welsh Development Agency. She led Development, Equality, Enterprise Project (DEEP- EQUAL), for which she developed the original application for funding on behalf of voluntary sector partners and the WDA. Judith is the UWS representative on the South West Wales Learning Partnership group preparing partnership bids for Convergence Funding for Adult Community Learning. The Group comprises four Local Authorities, three HEIs and all FE and voluntary sector providers in the region.

Membership of interest groups/ professional bodies

Judith is a member of the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL Cymru), the European University Continuing Education Network (EUCEN), the UK/Irish European Programmes Equality Network and the Forum for Access and Continuing Education (FACE).

Judith led the conference management team of the successful international FACE conference held in Swansea in 2006.

She is a member of the City Learning Net which is a network of 20 medium sized European cities concerned with using adult education as a tool for regeneration, which collaborates on specific projects. Judith is now the Coordinator of a City Learning Net Grundtvig funded three year project with eleven European partners. ‘Parenting in a Multicultural European City.’ We meet regularly to share information, compare best practice and collaborate on research and development. Partners include the Swiss Federation for Adult Education and the Cyprus Association for Adult Education. Two European Symposiums for parents, to be held in Italy and Cyprus, will include regional and European policy makers.

Awards

National Training Awards: (for FIT course, application by Judith James and Jean Preece)

• Wales National Training Award
• National Training Award
• Special National Training Award (for community contribution).