What specific requirements or expectations does the Government have in terms of Welsh language skills per cohort each year as the Medical School in Bangor becomes operational?
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
| Answered on 07/05/2024
As I am sure you will appreciate, higher education institutions are independent and autonomous bodies responsible for their own academic and administrative affairs, including any arrangements in terms of Welsh language skills. I can however confirm that as part of its Widening Access Strategy, Bangor University is seeking to increase its number of Welsh speaking students.
As part of this strategy, the University has undertaken a number of actions to improve these numbers, which include:
- securing a Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol grant for a Medical Science Lecturer to deliver and create Welsh language materials. The Coleg will lead a Case Based Learning group for Welsh speaking students if numbers allow.
- Welsh Language lessons for all students, delivered by Canolfan Bedwyr in Bangor University. There are three levels: exposing first language Welsh speaking students to medical Welsh terminology; increasing the confidence of second language Welsh speakers; and providing Welsh language lessons for beginners.
- engagement activity with ‘Doctoriaid Yfory’ (an all-Wales secondary school outreach activity), and ‘Doctoriaid Dyfodol’ (a new north Wales equivalent, set up with schools across north Wales).
- engagement with the Seren programme.
- an Eisteddfod yr Urdd essay writing prize.
- an Eisteddfod yr Urdd summer school at Glan Llyn.