Honorary awards to recognise our professional partners
DURING its graduation ceremonies the university was pleased to confer honorary awards upon exceptional individuals for their contribution in their fields of expertise which are aligned to the university’s mission and strategic aims.
In Swansea, an Honorary Fellowship was conferred upon Alwen Williams, BT Director in Wales. Alwen was appointed in September 2015 and has since been appointed a co-opted member of the Business Wales Board and the Deeside Enterprise Zone Advisory Board. She is committed to ensuring that BT fully supports the future success and prosperity of Wales. The award of Honorary Fellowship was confirmed to reaffirm the innovative opportunities for the very high number of graduates who graduated from software engineering and related digital programmes, who traditionally create their own start-up companies or secure employment within the region.
Swansea production designer Edward Thomas, who is credited with bringing Hollywood to the city, also received an Honorary Fellowship. He was instrumental, along with Welsh television producer Julie Gardner, in bringing worldwide hit series Da Vinci’s Demons to Bay Studios on Fabian Way. He had an incredible 18 nominations on last year’s Bafta Cymru shortlist following further success with Jack To A King, which was produced by YJB Films, the company that he jointly runs with entertainer Mal Pope.
Myrddin Rees, is a consultant surgeon who has established a world-renowned liver surgery unit in Basingstoke. Carmarthen-born Mr Rees, who received an Honorary Doctorate, has held the post of Hepatobiliary Director, and a Consultant Hepatobiliary Surgeon at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital since 1986.
Welsh Rugby Union President Dennis Gethin OBE, received an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his successful career in both rugby and Law.
During the ceremonies, Professors of Practice were also conferred upon key individuals. UWTSD’s Dr Jane Davidson, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor and Director of Inspire said: “Professors of Practice enable the university to work with partners with specific expertise related to our strategic aims who do not come through the traditional academic route. These are key individuals who can enhance our access to a range of defined skills to support academy delivery and build upon our rapidly improving reputation for delivering graduate skills in the context of employability, sustainability and work-related education and training.” Professors of Practice linked to the university’s offer in Swansea included:
Dr Rhydian Harries, head of Domain Safety, Weapons Division, QinetiQ, a company of scientists and engineers essential to sovereign capability, who was in instrumental in designing with UWTSD the first Test Range Engineering portfolio of programmes in Europe, and only the second set of such programmes outside of North America. Professor Medwin Hughes said: “The university’s partnership with international company Quinetiq through Dr Rhydian Harries and the team on the development of such innovative programmes is an example of how we are working closely with industry to deliver bespoke training in response to their needs. We look forward to developing our collaboration in future.”