Students receive bursary to continue maths studies in Welsh

Three Welsh students have received a prestigious bursary to help enable them to continue to study maths at university through the medium of Welsh.

Iwan Rhys Bryer and Siôn ap Llwyd Dafydd from Cardiff University, and Jacob Matthew Redmond from Aberystwyth University have been announced as recipients of this year’s Gareth Pierce Bursary.

The bursary is worth £3,000 each and is offered to up to three undergraduate students studying at least a third of their Maths degree course through the medium of Welsh.

Importance

Iwan Rhys Bryer from Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire, stressed the importance of being able to study part of his course through the medium of Welsh at Cardiff University to appeal to employers looking for future employees with bilingual skills.

He said: “It is very important that I can study Maths through the medium of Welsh to enable me to build terminology and expertise in both languages.

“I’m grateful to my teachers at Ysgol Bro Myrddin for inspiring me to study Maths at university, and to WJEC and the Coleg Cymraeg for the support.”

Siôn ap Llwyd Dafydd from Ffos y Gerddinen near Caerphilly has been passionate about Maths since he was a young child when he started solving puzzles.

He said: “I love studying Maths at Cardiff University and look forward to becoming a Mathematics teacher or lecturer in the future.

“It was very important for me to continue with my Welsh medium education at university after leaving school because Welsh is my first language.”

Cymuned

Jacob Matthew Redmond from Cardiff won the bursary to study Maths at Aberystwyth University aims to work in the medium of Welsh in his community once he graduates.

He said: “I enjoy living in Aberystwyth, and the course thus far is fantastic. I am very grateful to the Coleg Cymraeg and to WJEC for the bursary.

“In the future, I hope to work through the medium of Welsh in my community in the financial sector.”

The bursary was established in 2022 in memory of Gareth Pierce, who was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and previously Chief Executive of the Joint Education Committee for Wales (WJEC), before his sudden death in 2021.

 Dr Ioan Matthews, Chief Executive of the Coleg, said: “On behalf of the Coleg, I would like to congratulate Iwan, Siôn and Jacob on winning this year’s Gareth Pierce Bursary.

“It is a privilege to support this bursary in memory of a friend, colleague, and influential figure who made a key contribution to the Coleg and the wider field of education in Wales.

“We are extremely grateful to Gareth’s family and also to WJEC for their support. We wish the students every success in the future.”

Ian Morgan, Chief Executive of WJEC, said: “Gareth Pierce’s bursary scheme is now in its third year, and its growing popularity reflects Gareth’s passion for Maths and learning through the medium of Welsh.

“On behalf of WJEC, I would like to congratulate Jacob, Iwan and Siôn, who have won this prestigious bursary.

We wish the all the best with their studies, and I hope the bursary will mean they can thrive in their respective courses.”

For more information about The Gareth Pierce bursary, and to check which courses are eligible, visit the Coleg Cymraeg website.