New bursary launched to support Welsh medium students

A new bursary has launched to support students studying through the medium of Welsh – in memory of Dr Llŷr Roberts one of Bangor University’s brightest associate lecturers

On Tuesday 19 March, at the Coleg Cymraeg Annual Congregation at Bangor University, the Coleg Cymraeg will announce the Cronfa Llŷr Bursary set up in collaboration with the family of the late Dr Llŷr Roberts and Bangor University to support students with their Welsh-medium studies.

The bursary will be for undergraduate students studying through the medium of Welsh in any subject and will sponsor a trip for a purpose related to their studies and with relevance to Welsh or Welsh Studies.

Tribute

Up to £2,000 is to be awarded annually with up to four awards of around £500 per winning student.

The bursary was set up to remember Dr Llŷr Roberts, one of the Coleg Cymraeg’s first and brightest associate lecturers who passed away suddenly in June 2023 aged 45.

On the evening Dr Dafydd Trystan, Director of Strategic Development and Further Education and Registrar of the Coleg Cymraeg, will pay tribute to Llŷr in the presence of his family, friends, and colleagues. Dr Trystan said:

“Llŷr was a very dear friend and colleague. He was one of the first Associate Lecturers of the Coleg Cymraeg. He went on to make a multi-faceted contribution to Welsh-medium higher education in Business at the University of South Wales, Cardiff Metropolitan University and most recently, at Bangor University.

“In a short time Llŷr made a great impression on his co-workers and students. In 2022, he won an award from the Coleg for Outstanding Resource for creating the first e-book in Welsh language on Marketing.

“Llŷr was passionate about the Welsh language, about business studies and marketing, about music and travel. His legacy is clear, and it is fitting that we have established this bursary to support the next generation of students with their Welsh-medium studies.”

Honour

As part of the evening the Coleg Cymraeg will honour three Honorary Fellows for a lifetime’s contribution towards Welsh-medium post-compulsory education, and present certificates to PhD students for achieving a doctorate under the Coleg Cymraeg Research Scholarships Scheme.  

It will be revealed that the three Honorary Fellows will be:

• Professor Delyth Prys, former head of the Language Technologies Unit at Canolfan Bedwyr, Bangor University; 
• Wyn Thomas, who was instrumental in developing Welsh-medium provision in Music at Bangor University;
• Linda Wyn, former principal of Coleg Meirion Dwyfor and Coleg Menai within Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.

Here is the full list of PhD students who will receive their certificates from the Coleg this year:

• Dr Seren Evans, Sport Sciences, Bangor University
• Dr Ianto Gruffudd, Welsh, Cardiff University
• Dr Cennydd Jones, Agriculture, Aberystwyth University
• Dr Lucy Hale Evans, Environmental Sciences, Bangor University
• Dr Claire Griffith-Mcgeever, Sport Sciences, Bangor University
• Dr Marc Williams, Psychology, Cardiff University
• Dr Sioned Llywelyn, Geography, Aberystwyth University
• Dr Gruffydd Lloyd Jones, Environmental Sciences, Aberystwyth University

Entries for the Cronfa Llŷr Bursary are invited during the summer term with a view to announcing the winners at the Rhondda Cynon Taf National Eisteddfod in August. Further information including the bursary application form will be available on the Coleg’s website shortly.

The Honorary Fellows and PhD students can be read about on the Coleg website from today.