A-Z of Higher Education Colleges: Swansea Institute of Higher Education

This Week: Swansea Institute of Higher Education

Age: 99 from first incarnations.

History: Its roots lie in a college of technology, and a college of art and teacher training born in 1900. These two merged in the Seventies to form the Institute of West Glamorgan. In 1992 it acquired its present title.

Address: Three campuses in Swansea - Mount Pleasant, Townhill and Alexandra Road.

Ambience: Mount Pleasant, two minutes' walk from the city centre, houses the Cadogen Centre and Dylan Thomas's old grammar school, as well as 44 study bedrooms. Townhill, two miles from the centre, with breathtaking views over Swansea Bay, is home to the students' union and bar. Alexandra Road is the urban site housing art and design.

Vital statistics: A smallish college of higher education with 3,263 full-time and 1,358 part-time students which suffered when the former principal resigned following revelations about Swansea's overseas activities. It had launched a postgraduate diploma in business management in Malaysia. Degree certificates were printed locally and it was not clear whether all of them had been accounted for. Degrees validated mainly by the University of Wales, some law degrees by the University of London and the University of the West of England. But the institute is hoping to get its own degree- awarding powers one day and to become part of the University of Wales.

Added value: International reputation for architectural stained glass. Gives special breaks to part-time students. No fees for the unwaged, a 50 per cent discount for the first year of part-time study, applicants for part-time courses can sample the courses before they buy them and get two for the price of one. They can also enrol for a full-time course and pay nothing for a part-time course.

Easy to get into? Minimum entry requirement is two passes at A-level. Highest entry grades are for primary teacher education.

Glittering alumni: The late Clive Jenkins, the champagne socialist and trade union leader; Robert Croft, cricket player for Glamorgan and England; Welsh rugby internationals Mervyn Davies and Wayne Procter.

Transport links: Good for trains and coaches. Cardiff International Airport is 50 minutes away. There are frequent shuttle buses to Cardiff, Bath and Bristol. University bus between Mount Pleasant and Townhill campuses.

Who's the boss? David Warner, who came as a caretaker to sort the institute out when it was in crisis, and has stayed.

Teaching: Rated satisfactory in mechanical engineering, law, computing studies, humanities, applied design and engineering, and built environment, building studies and civil engineering; excellent in business studies and art and design.

Research: No powerhouse but is developing a reputation in applied design and engineering.

Financial health: In the black.

Nightlife: Improving. There are nightclubs in town and Bar OZ is the favourite watering hole for students. Student balls to mark the beginning and end of terms.

Cheap to live in? An en-suite room in a hall of residence costs pounds 40 a week. In the private sector a room costs pounds 32-pounds 40 plus bills.

Buzzword: Swansea Jacks (what the locals are called).

Lucy Hodges

Next week: Trinity and All Saints College