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Pressure growing on 'toxic' University of Wales Pledge to clean up 'toxic' University of Wales
(about 2 hours later)
Pressure is growing on the University of Wales to scrap its title after claims about the validation of its qualifications. The University of Wales (UoW) has become a "tarnished brand" but should keep its name, its vice-chancellor has said.
Prof Medwin Hughes said he wanted to repair it and not ditch it.
Five universities said they were "appalled" after BBC Wales exposed a scam in which overseas students are offered help to cheat their way to UoW-validated degrees and visas.Five universities said they were "appalled" after BBC Wales exposed a scam in which overseas students are offered help to cheat their way to UoW-validated degrees and visas.
One vice-chancellor said his institution had lost business over the "toxic brand". They said it no longer had the right to use the UoW name.
UoW said it will not risk quality. The vice-chancellors of Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Bangor, Glamorgan and Swansea universities - which are not members of the UoW - said they will not accept it in its current form.
The vice-chancellors of Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Glamorgan and Swansea - which are not members of the University of Wales - have said they will not accept the UoW in its current form. They added that its activities are damaging the reputation of higher education in Wales as a whole, while Bangor University's vice-chancellor Prof John Hughes revealed his institution had lost business over the UoW's "toxic brand".
They said the activities of the university have been and still are damaging the reputation of higher education in Wales as a whole, and that the institution no longer has the right to use the brand. But Prof Medwin Hughes told BBC Radio Wales: "I'm committed to cleaning up that brand. It's tarnished, yes, but under that tarnish there's a very good silver."
In their statement, the vice-chancellors, who are known as the St David's Day Group, say they are "appalled by the latest revelations about certain institutions whose qualifications are validated by the University of Wales. He said Wales needed "strong brands" and that he had a duty to the "thousands and thousands" of students who had University of Wales degrees to keep the name.
"This in no way reflects the excellent standard of education provided by universities in Wales. "At the moment the higher education sector in Wales is letting the nation down. That's my personal view," he said.
"The changes announced this week by the University of Wales represent a fundamental change to the university's mission and the institution now needs a new title which reflects this considerably changed role - we are no longer able to accept it as the University of Wales. "My role as vice-chancellor is to deliver higher standards."
"These latest revelations have brought the once proud history of the University of Wales to a sad conclusion - it is clearly no longer the institution of which four of us we were once proud to be members." Prof John Hughes said Bangor University had already been adversely affected by revelations about the UoW.
Speaking on BBC Radio Wales, one of the vice-chancellors, Prof John Hughes of Bangor, said his university had already been adversely affected by revelations about the UoW. He said international partners were confused and some wanted to stop working with it, even though Bangor does not come under the UoW umbrella.
He said a "very prestigious institution" in Singapore wanted to stop working with the university, despite the fact that Bangor is not a member of the University of Wales. "They said the brand was now toxic," he told Radio Wales.
"They said the brand was now toxic," he added. In their statement, the vice-chancellors of Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Glamorgan and Swansea, who are known as the St David's Day Group, said: "This in no way reflects the excellent standard of education provided by universities in Wales," they said.
"We have also had numerous questions from quality partners we have in places like China, asking us about our relationship with the University of Wales." "The changes announced this week by the University of Wales represent a fundamental change to the university's mission and the institution now needs a new title which reflects this considerably changed role - we are no longer able to accept it as the University of Wales."
'Transformational change''Transformational change'
In a statement, the Welsh government said Education Minister Leighton Andrews was "disturbed by the continuing adverse publicity attached to the University of Wales".In a statement, the Welsh government said Education Minister Leighton Andrews was "disturbed by the continuing adverse publicity attached to the University of Wales".
UoW's chancellor Prince Charles is also being kept informed, Clarence House said.UoW's chancellor Prince Charles is also being kept informed, Clarence House said.
The institution's vice-chancellor Prof Medwin Hughes said it was going through "transformational change".
"The transformed university will be built upon the highest standards of governance and will have an uncompromising regard towards quality and standards," he said.
The UK Border Agency is carrying out an investigation into the latest allegations about University of Wales-validated qualifications.The UK Border Agency is carrying out an investigation into the latest allegations about University of Wales-validated qualifications.
Overseas students were offered the opportunity to cheat their way to degrees and visas.Overseas students were offered the opportunity to cheat their way to degrees and visas.
Two staff at Rayat London College have been suspended and the registrar has resigned. The college has informed the police and dissociated itself from any alleged wrongdoing.Two staff at Rayat London College have been suspended and the registrar has resigned. The college has informed the police and dissociated itself from any alleged wrongdoing.
UoW would not comment on the scam allegations.UoW would not comment on the scam allegations.
'Small university''Small university'
The revelations came after the university, a national institution since 1893, announced it would stop validating courses at all other institutions in the UK and abroad.The revelations came after the university, a national institution since 1893, announced it would stop validating courses at all other institutions in the UK and abroad.
It means what is currently the second largest university in the UK, with 70,000 students studying its courses in 130 colleges worldwide, will become one of the smallest in Wales from next September.It means what is currently the second largest university in the UK, with 70,000 students studying its courses in 130 colleges worldwide, will become one of the smallest in Wales from next September.
It will now have just two small universities in the south west - Swansea Metropolitan University and Trinity Saint David, which it is merging with. It will now have just two small universities in south west Wales - Swansea Metropolitan University and Trinity Saint David, which it is merging with.
A Welsh government spokesperson said the education minister was "mindful of the conclusions" of the McCormick Review in respect of the University of Wales.A Welsh government spokesperson said the education minister was "mindful of the conclusions" of the McCormick Review in respect of the University of Wales.
The review said the university needed to change radically and had become dependant on income from validating courses in colleges overseas.The review said the university needed to change radically and had become dependant on income from validating courses in colleges overseas.
  • Week In Week Out: Cash For Qualifications was broadcast on BBC One Wales on Wednesday 5 October at 20:30 BST. It can be viewed on the BBC iPlayer.
  • Week In Week Out: Cash For Qualifications was broadcast on BBC One Wales on Wednesday 5 October at 20:30 BST. It can be viewed on the BBC iPlayer.