Welsh Language Standards
Our Welsh Language Standards replaced the previous Welsh Language Scheme on April 1, 2018.
A modern legal framework was established in the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 for using the Welsh language in public services. This gave the Welsh language equal status to the English language for the first time in Wales.
We are committed to making a positive contribution to the development of the Welsh language by:
- Treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language
- Encouraging Welsh speakers to take advantage of the services they have the right to receive from us in Welsh
- Providing awareness training to all staff about the Welsh Language Standards and support to those who require assistance with the Welsh language
We demonstrate our commitment to the Standards and state how we will comply with them within the following policies:
Welsh Language Standards Annual Report 2023-2024
Cardiff University Welsh Language Standards Annual Report for August 2023 - July 2024
If this document cannot be read by your assistive software, you can request an accessible version by emailing web@cardiff.ac.uk. Please include the assistive tools you use and the format you require.
Governance arrangements
Our Executive Board holds the ultimate responsibility for ensuring complete adherence to the Welsh Language (No. 6) Regulations 2017, as well as overseeing the implementation and monitoring of all other policies.
The Compliance and Risk team within the University's Secretary's Office is specifically responsible for providing guidance and advice on the Welsh Language Standards. Regular reports are provided by the Compliance and Risk team to the Welsh Language Steering Group, which is chaired by our Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
This team is accountable for the daily implementation of our operations, which guarantee our adherence to the Welsh Language Standards and our Policies.
We have a vibrant network of Welsh Language Champions, comprising at least one staff member from every School, College, and Department. These individuals serve as the primary point of contact for the Compliance and Risk team, as well as for their respective School/Department.
The Compliance and Risk team frequently engages with the champions to distribute information and guidance aimed at assisting us to adhere to the Standards. Additionally, quarterly meetings are held for the group to exchange best practices and brainstorm ideas.
Our offer to students
- We welcome correspondence and telephone enquiries in Welsh and will ensure that all correspondence received by us in Welsh will be responded to with a signed reply in Welsh
- If you receive circulars and standard letters from us, they will be bilingual
- Our centrally produced publications and printed materials will also be published bilingually
- All of our corporate web pages and our Colleges, Schools, Departments, Research Centres, and Institutes' homepages will be available in Welsh and English
Learning through the medium of Welsh
We are fully committed to the latest developments in Welsh medium provision within the sector and provide a substantial selection of modules that can be studied in Welsh, covering a diverse array of subjects ranging from Law to Medicine.
We have ambitious initiatives to provide a wide range of opportunities for studying and living in Welsh, with a particular focus on programs offered by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and Yr Academi Gymraeg.
Tutoring
If there are Welsh-speaking members of the teaching staff in your subject area, you have the option to request a personal tutor who speaks Welsh. However, if there are no Welsh-speaking members of the teaching staff available, a suitable staff member from another School will be assigned to tutor you.
In the School of Welsh and Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Welsh for Adults Centre, all students are provided with Welsh-speaking tutors.
Exams
You will be offered to take your exams in Welsh, regardless of whether you have been taught in Welsh.
Should you prefer to take your exams in Welsh, we will ensure that your coursework, exam papers, and scripts are assessed by a proficient Welsh-speaking academic as a priority or be translated in case there are no Welsh-speaking markers available. These provisions are subject to any guidance, regulations, or QAA Guidance from national or professional bodies.
Communication
If you're based in Wales we'll offer you the choice to be interviewed in Welsh when we invite you to your interview.
Accommodation
You will be able to request accommodation designated specifically for Welsh speakers at two halls of residence, Senghennydd Court and Talybont North.
Other services
Some other services you can expect through the medium of Welsh are:
- letters
- applying for financial support
- counselling services
- meetings
- certificates
- forms
- submitting written work in Welsh
- a Welsh welcome booklet
- a Welsh language prospectus
Welsh Language Standards Service Delivery Policy
The policy outlines the services that must be provided in both Welsh and English, emphasising our commitment to ensure that the Welsh language is treated no less favourably than the English language.
If this document cannot be read by your assistive software, you can request an accessible version by emailing web@cardiff.ac.uk. Please include the assistive tools you use and the format you require.
Welsh Language Operational Standards Policy
The policy provides guidance on operations that must be conducted in Welsh, monitoring staff language preferences, and promoting the Welsh language among new and existing staff.
If this document cannot be read by your assistive software, you can request an accessible version by emailing web@cardiff.ac.uk. Please include the assistive tools you use and the format you require.
Contact us
Contact the Compliance and Risk team if you have any questions about the University's Welsh Language Standards:
Compliance and Risk
From information about scholarships to staff funding, discover what our Coleg Branch can provide for Welsh medium students and staff.