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A bilingual University.

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David is committed to be a higher education institute which provides bilingual education and services of choice. This is evidenced through being a sector leader for bilingual and Welsh-medium education and proactively engaging with the duties set out in the Welsh Language Standards, in accordance with the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.

The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 affords the Welsh language official status in Wales.  This means it must be treated no less favourably than the English language. It also establishes a legal framework to impose a duty on the University and other public sector organisations in Wales to comply with Standards of Conduct in relation to the Welsh Language. 

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In this section

  • What are the Welsh Language Standards?
  • How does the University ensure compliance with the Standards? 
  • What are the rights to use the Welsh Language?
  • Complaints Procedure relating to the Welsh Language

What are the Welsh Language Standards?

The Welsh Language Standards, which came into operation on 1 April 2018, outline the services the University will provide through the medium of Welsh and how the University will ensure that full consideration is given to Welsh language matters in any policy or strategy decisions. 

The Standards aim to:
01
Provide greater clarity to organisations what their duties are in relation to the Welsh language
02
Provide greater clarity to Welsh speaking students, staff and the public  about the services they can expect to receive in Welsh
03
Ensure greater consistency of Welsh language service and improve their quality.
The Welsh Language Standards are arranged under 4 main Standards:
  • Focusing on providing services. They aim to promote and facilitate the use of Welsh or to ensure that the Welsh language is not treated less favourably than the English language in service provision. 

  • These Standards ask Officers to consider the effect that their policy making decisions may have on people’s opportunities to use Welsh and the guiding principle not to treat the Welsh language less favourably than the English language. 

  • These Standards deal with the way in which the University uses Welsh internally and promotes the concept of a bilingual workplace, affording some rights to employees in the context of receiving their HR Service in their language of choice.

  • These Standards deal with data and recording systems relating to the other Standards, along with a complaints procedure. It also includes methods to record service-users language preferences, staff language skills, training and recruitment.

Compliance Notice:

Please find below a copy of  UWTSD’s final compliance notice issued by the Welsh Language Commissioner (September 2017) , which lists the Standards that the University must comply with. 

The duties which come from the Standards mean the University  must not treat the Welsh language less favourably than the English language, together with promoting and facilitating the use of the Welsh language; making it easier for people to use in their day-to-day lives. This supports the UWTSD’s  aim of continuing to improve the provision of services through the medium of Welsh.

How does the University ensure compliance with the Welsh Language Standards?

The University seeks to comply with the Standards across all its campuses in Wales in accordance with the expectations outlined in the Compliance Notice.

Engagement sessions are provided to managers to embed the Standards, to promote learning opportunities and to share best practice and ideas.

A dedicated page on our intranet provides guidelines and resources to support staff in implementing the Standards and increase use of the Welsh language across the University.

Internal monitoring procedures are established to monitor compliance.

The Welsh Language Standards Officer and the Corporate Governance Unit is responsible for ensuring that the University complies with Welsh language legislation and is the main contact point with the Welsh Language Commissioner.

In accordance with the Welsh Language Standards UWTSD has published a Compliance Plan, that outlines how the University promotes and facilitates the use of the  Welsh language and monitors compliance. 

The University must also produce an annual report in relation to each financial year, detailing the ways in which the University has complied with the Standards to which it is subject: 

What are the rights to use the Welsh Language?

As students studying in Wales, you have a range of rights which prescribe that you can receive services through the medium of Welsh at the University. 

When you first enrol as a student at the University you will be asked for your preferred language- Welsh or English. This information is noted on your student record so that staff are aware when they communicate with you. The Welsh Language Standards imposed on the University enables you to receive the following in Welsh: 

  • Letters
  • Forms​
  • Counselling Services
  • Applications for financial support
  • Meetings
  • Welcome booklets
  • Certificates
  • The ability to present assessments in Welsh (essays, exams, etc.)
  • Personal tutor
  • Prospectus

UWTSD fully supports your rights as Welsh-speaking students and we are here to support you.  Remember that these are your rights as students. It is important that you use these rights if you would prefer to receive services in Welsh.

The University will correspond with you in your language of choice.  If you write to us in Welsh, we will respond in Welsh. If we do not know your language choice, we will correspond with you bilingually. 

Please note that the rights apply to the activities listed in the Compliance Notice.

If you have any questions regarding the Welsh Language Standards or for further advice, please contact, iaithgymraeg@pcydd.ac.uk,  we will be happy to offer advice and guidance.

University staff rights are protected under the Welsh Language Standards although they differ from the rights of the public and students.  They include such matters as the right to use Welsh in relation to professional development and employment, and are listed in the set of Operational Standards. 

Further guidance and information is provided for staff on the intranet.

Complaints Procedure relating to the Welsh Language

If a member of the public, a student or a member of staff feels that the institution has not complied with one or more of the Standards or has any concerns about the use of the Welsh language then they may submit a complaint.  The procedure below describes the complaints process to be followed in such a situation.

    • Complaints can usually be resolved quickly and satisfactorily on an informal basis. If possible, you should contact the member of staff most directly involved with the situation with a view to resolving your concerns informally.
    • Such contact should be made as soon as possible and in any event within 20 working days of the situation arising.
    • To lodge a formal complaint, you must:
      • Where possible, have attempted to resolve the issue informally (see 6 (above)) by contacting the member of staff most directly involved with the situation, and have good reason to consider that the matter has not been satisfactorily resolved.

        Complete the Welsh Language Complaints Form (Appendix 1) and submit this within 30 working days of the situation arising.

        This form may be completed either in Welsh or English and should be submitted to iaithgymraeg@pcydds.ac.uk. Alternatively, the form can be completed online from the website.
    • The Welsh Language Standards Officer will acknowledge receipt of your form, normally within five working days, and will arrange for your complaint to be investigated by an appropriate University officer.
    • The officer appointed to investigate your complaint is responsible for determining the actions needed to investigate and bring the complaint to a satisfactory conclusion. These may or may not include meeting the parties directly involved. S/he will provide a full written response to your complaint, normally within 20 working days. Where the investigation cannot be completed within that time for good reason (such as staff unavailability, or because the matter is complex), you will be provided with a revised timescale.
    • Where the submission is made as part of another University complaints procedure, for example a student or staff complaint, it will be managed in collaboration with those investigations and timescales.  Before any formal procedures are instigated, the University will consider which procedure(s) is the most appropriate to be used, it may be the case that two policies are used.  Where two or more policies or procedures are applicable at the same time, normally one policy will be the primary policy in terms of process. Complainants will be informed which policies and procedures will be used.
    • If you are dissatisfied with the written response to your formal complaint, you may request that the matter is referred to a member of the University’s Senior Directorate using the Final Review Form (Appendix 2).
    • The Vice-Chancellor’s Office will acknowledge receipt of your form normally within five working days, and will arrange for the outcome of your complaint to be reviewed by the appropriate member of the Senior Directorate.
    • The Senior Directorate member is responsible for determining whether the complaint outcome was sound. Her/his conclusions will be provided in writing, normally within 20 working days. Where the review cannot be completed within that time for good reason (such as staff unavailability, or because the matter is complex), you will be provided with a revised timescale.
    • The decision of the Senior Directorate member is final and there will be no further avenue of review in the University.
    • If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the Final Review process you may appeal to the Welsh Language Commissioner. The Office of the Welsh Language Commissioner will consider the information provided and contact the University for further information. Further details of the appeal process are to be found on the Welsh Language Commissioner’s website.
    • The University is expected to keep a record of all formal complaints concerning its use of the Welsh Language. An update will be given to meetings of Pwyllgor y Gymraeg and to the Academic Committee of the University Council.
    • The University is expected to keep a record of all formal complaints concerning its use of the Welsh Language. An update will be given to meetings of Pwyllgor y Gymraeg and to the Academic Committee of the University Council.