Students celebrate 10 years of Summer University success

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The achievements of students from schools and colleges in the Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire areas will be recognised at a special South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnership Summer University awards ceremony on Tuesday, October 8.

And this year’s event, which takes place at 7.30pm at Swansea University’s Taliesin Arts Centre, is particularly special as the Summer University programme is celebrating its 10th Anniversary. 

The 60 students who participated in this year’s programme came from Bishop Gore School, Bishop Vaughan Catholic School, Coleg Sir Gâr, Gower College Swansea,  Gowerton Comprehensive School, Merthyr Tydfil College, Milford Haven School, Morriston Comprehensive School, NPTC Group, Olchfa Comprehensive School, Pembroke School, and St Joseph’s Catholic School.

The Summer University initiative is aimed at students from local schools and colleges who have the ability to succeed but may experience barriers preventing them from progressing to higher education.

Students spent two weeks residential at University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea campus and two weeks at Swansea University, gaining a unique experience of university life. They were taught study skills essential for higher education and chose one subject module from the following: Biological Sciences; Business, Marketing and Leisure Management; Creative Arts; Engineering; Health and Early Childhood Studies; and Psychology, Criminology and Law.

Lecturers from Swansea University, The Open University in Wales and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David all taught on the Summer University.

Bishop Gore School, Coleg Sir Gâr, Gower College Swansea, Grŵp Gwalia, Neath Port Talbot College Group and Pembrokeshire College are all sponsoring prizes at this year’s awards ceremony, which will be presented to the students who have excelled in their subject. 

Professor Paul Meara, City and County of Swansea Sketty Ward Councillor, has also sponsored a PhD student to teach on the Criminology module.

Over the last 10 years, 564 students from local schools and colleges have attended the Summer University programme with more than 80% going on to attend a higher education institution. 


Reaching Wider is a programme aiming to widen access into higher education across the whole student age range. The South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnership organises learning and aspiration raising activities.  Funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales the South West Wales Reaching Wider partnership includes Swansea University, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Coleg Sir Gâr, Gower College Swansea, Neath Port Talbot College Group, Pembrokeshire College, Careers Wales, The Open University in Wales and schools across participating unitary authorities. The programme aims to extend educational participation to previously excluded and under-represented groups of people in south west Wales.