Prifysgol Wrecsam/Wrexham University unveils “new and exciting” rebrand to partners
Date: 2 November 2023
Empowering students to feel they are capable of achieving anything they want to by creating an inclusive and welcoming environment is at the heart of Wrexham University’s mission.
That was the message delivered by Prifysgol Wrecsam/Wrexham University Chancellor Colin Jackson CBE at the university’s external rebrand launch celebration.
As part of the special event, Andy Williams, the Mayor of Wrexham, community members and stakeholders from local colleges, local councillors, the Vice Chancellor’s Welsh Language Community Committee, the NHS and more, gathered at the university to hear more about the purpose of the institution’s rebrand.
During his speech, Colin said: “The rebranding of Wrexham University is an incredibly proud moment, it signifies how far we’ve come. Not only is Wrexham now a globally recognised city but our university is a globally-recognised institution.
University Chancellor, Colin Jackson CBE, delivering his speech at the Launch Event.
“Our new and exciting rebrand is key to demonstrating our purpose to prospective and current students – to empower all our students to feel that they are capable of achieving anything they want to by creating an inclusive and welcoming environment. That’s at the core of everything we do here in Wrexham.”
As of the beginning of this academic year, the University is now known as ‘Prifysgol Wrecsam/Wrexham University’, further bringing together place and university.
Professor Maria Hinfelaar, Vice-Chancellor, said: “Our new name and brand symbolises and represents a range of exciting developments going on in our community, in which we have deep roots.
“The new name unifies us more directly with Wrexham – the place we are proud to call home.
“It helps us to communicate much more effectively with audiences across the UK and internationally at a time when Wrexham is developing – it has city status, did exceptionally well in the UK City of Culture bid and of course, we are seeing the success of our neighbours at the football club, and all of the wonderful attention, which that has brought.
“Everything we do is rooted in community. We remain extremely proud of our Welsh history and heritage and will continue to honour the legacy of Owain Glyndŵr.
“We also remain committed to celebrating the Welsh language and are delighted to say that more students than ever before have opportunities to study bilingually across a range of our courses.”
Stakeholders in attendance at the launch event heard updates on how the University’s Campus 2025 strategy continues to progress, with developments including the ground-breaking Health and Education Innovation Quarter (HEIQ), which includes the Health Simulation Centre, new laboratories, social learning spaces and more.
Professor Hinfelaar advised attendees that the University was now looking to the future beyond the Campus 2025 masterplan and is starting to develop a new strategy to take the institution through to 2030 and beyond – and called on those present to provide their thoughts on the University’s strengths and opportunities we could look to embrace over the coming years.
She added: “We need to be conscious of how much has changed, where new opportunities lie and where we can improve further. That will be a journey of discovery and we certainly don’t have all the answers ourselves – which is where our stakeholders come in. We felt it an opportune moment to use our external launch event to let you have your say on how our strategy can support your objectives, particularly those that impact our community.
“A huge thank you to everyone, who has come along to celebrate our rebrand and support us in delivering excellent outcomes for our people and communities.”
Attendees at the Launch Event
The special event was delivered in a bilingual format – with Elen Mai Nefydd, Head of Welsh Medium Academic Development, delivering speeches in both Welsh and English.
Elen Mai shared with stakeholders the progress that the University has made in relation to Welsh-medium provision, since its Welsh Language Academic Strategy and Action Plan was rubber-stamped last year.
Key developments include certain degree courses offering bilingual study options, including the Speech and Language Therapy degree and most recently, Professional Policing.
She said: “The Welsh language and culture is rooted in our values and in every aspect of our work.
“The progress has been monumental already – and we are proud to say that are doing everything we can to prepare our students for the world of work and to meet the demands in Wales and contribute towards the Welsh Government’s ambition of reaching one million Welsh speakers by 2050.
“Welsh opportunities are for all at Wrexham University – and the Welsh language is truly for everybody.”
The overarching aims of the institution’s rebrand is to increase awareness, strengthen identity and in turn, attract more students.
It follows extensive consultation with students, staff and external stakeholders to ensure that the brand truly represents what the University offers and stands for and its ambitions for the future.
Formerly known as Glyndwr University, Wrexham University aims to be a first-choice institution and destination for prospective students – with the goal of making the community, city of Wrexham and the world better through higher education.