Wrexham Glyndwr University considers dropping the name ‘Glyndwr’
Rory Sheehan, local democracy reporter
Wrexham Glyndwr University is considering dropping the name ‘Glyndwr’ as part of a re-brand
Staff, students and other stakeholders connected to the institution have been asked to consider a change of name to ‘Prifysgol Wrecsam / Wrexham University’ in a consultation.
The University, along with Wrexham Council, Transport for Wales, the Welsh Government and Wrexham AFC, is a key partner in the Wrexham Gateway Project, a major civic plan to redevelop the Mold Road area of the city.
Formerly known as the North East Wales Institute for Higher Education (NEWI), Wrexham Glyndwr was granted university status in 2008 and became Glyndwr University, before adding Wrexham to the front of its name in 2016.
‘Strengthening its brand’
The university has mooted the name change with the intention of “strengthening its brand”, believing it to be a more effective way to reach students and stakeholders nationally and internationally, and would put it in line with other higher education institutions across the UK.
When NEWI became a university, the Glyndwr part of the name was chosen as a tribute to Owain Glyndwr, the medieval Welsh prince who led a rebellion against the English crown. The university says there are plans to continue celebrating Glyndwr’s legacy should its name change.
A Wrexham Glyndwr University spokesperson said: “Following internal discussions we are testing the waters for a name change of the university by consulting with staff, students and external stakeholders.
Marketing
“Renaming the university to ‘Prifysgol Wrecsam/Wrexham University’ would help streamline marketing and strengthen our brand and identity.
“The university is proud to be located in Wrexham – a place which is developing, recently acquired city status, came runner-up in the UK City of Culture 2025 bid and has ambitious investment and regeneration schemes which we are part of.
“The straightforward coupling of place + university is the most effective way to reach audiences and is replicated across the higher education sector in the UK.
“Being renamed as ‘Prifysgol Wrecsam/Wrexham University’ would enable us to communicate the university name more easily to students and other stakeholders nationally and internationally. We will also continue to celebrate the Owain Glyndwr legacy and will be drawing up separate plans for this.”
The university is also currently undergoing a major multi-million pound revamp of it’s campuses, titled Campus 2025, and was ranked top in England and Wales for student satisfaction in this year’s Complete University Guide.
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Oh look. Our history getting airbrushed out AGAIN. You want to be some Unionist lickspittle, go work in some pretentious OneNationist dump like Warwick or Durham
Great idea to change it ….we dont want any silly Welsh nomsense – indeed lets go all the way and amalgamate with Chester Uni only 8 miles away. This would save money and only need one leadership team. After a few years we could then close and sell the site again saving money and bus what few students are left to
Chester ?
And then we could bulldoze the entire lot and sell half to developers and on the rest we could put a huge St George’s cross and change everyone’s second name to “Smith” and then slap our own children and spend the rest of the decade setting fire to our own clothes and throwing tyres in the river.
Agree 100 per cent Cathy – we can move on to Bangor next and make it weekend country retreat and mountain centre for the city folk of our great nation 🏴…
Ive bought a train ticket to Chester tonight my friend 😏
How many millions have you paid some jumped up ad agency to drop the name Glyndŵr?
Sack the VC and spend the money where it’s meant to go – on providing top class education for your students – that’s what’ll bring you international standing and more applications.
A dreadful idea dreamed up by people who just want to charge the university for a new logo, who are airbrushing Welsh culture away and for no effective gain for the University. Glyndwr gives Wrexham some added panache.
Your shop is failing, no one is coming to it. So you change your shop’s name and nothing else, yet still, your business fails.
Why is that?
Marketing does not solve problems, stamping over culture creates problems. Changing the name of your shop but not what it sells is bad business.
To the surprise of no one”redevelopment” happens in this case to mean GENTRIFICATION. Consult?!…Yeah of course. Consult. That’s in the same area of snidey bulls*** as “We’ll see” (meaning “no”) when you ask your mam if you can have a new toy and “I’m sorry for any offence my actions may have caused” (meaning “sorry you’re such a loser and a crybaby, I regret not one thing”) when a politician has been caused kicking old ladies in the shin and calling for the castration of all working-class males over the age of fourteen. …Gross, just gross…. Going to put this… Read more »
When will people there are those in Wales who are Welsh and unionist who want to get rid of the Welsh Parliament they are not only Tories but also Labour supporters they would rather CYMRU become an english county they and some i drink with are not Welsh patriots more like english lap dogs
I hope they don’t do this. Owain Glyndwr is our national hero and one of his aspirations was for Welsh seats of learning.
The subtext to this name change lies in where Wrexham Glyndwr University is aiming to recruit students from, obvs they must feel that they need to market themselves to the cream of england, ignoring home grown potential seems they forget the most infamous name change by coca cola , to ‘new coke’ .
Cream of England. Rich, thick and full of clots?
Awful idea. I suppose they don’t want the world (England) to be educated as to who Glyndwr was and why he is a hero. Thats obviously offensive to certain sensitive souls.
Wouldn’t Prifysgol Glyndwr University, Wrecsam be the obvious option?
Shameful! Let’s erase Welsh history to satisfy a few plastic Anglo bureaucrats who want to ‘rebrand’. Our university sector is getting watered down by the day, and Welsh culture and society is getting a lower profile with every new initiative. Thank heavens we still have the Prince Charles and Prince Philip hospitals. At least they put out the right message about how supine we Taffs really are.
Prince Charles and Prince Philip ! Good names for 2 hospitals that often fall short of the expectations of their communities. We have yet another, Princess of Wales, in Bridgend and some of the horror stories out of there make me keen to avoid ever being hospitalised for more than a quick “in out” procedure.
Terrible idea to drop the name Glyndŵr from the university
Why?
Xenophobia
‘Glyndwr vs Fat Shanks’…animators of Glyndwr University legend time…
Why “compromise”? Why does having an actual WELSH prince’s name in the title cause problems with its identity?
I care nothing for royalty in ANY form. But I’d rather OUR princes be used when naming our stuff than THEIRS.
Stand as a Cymro or kneel as vassal. These are the choices. “Compromising” with occupiers is just another name for capitulating
Interestingly, this is the opening text of Prifysgol Glyndŵr’s home page:
“Our name comes from Welsh scholar and hero Owain Glyndŵr and we aim to champion some of the same philosophies as him.”
Was Owain Glyndŵr a Welsh scholar? Can anyone enlighten me?
He knew a thing or two about taking on and beating far bigger opponents. O.K he lost in the end but had he been up against another welterweight he would have ended up ruling as much of Britain as he might care to take.
Er gwaetha pob Dic Sion Dafydd…
I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed.
Never comprimise mate …..remember the Alamo ( opps i meant Crimea 🥲)