Welsh Language Standards Compliance Report 2020–21

Swansea University received its compliance notice from the Welsh Language Commissioner in September 2017 which outlined the University’s duty to meet the statutory Welsh Language Standards established by the Welsh Government under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.

This report is published in accordance with Standards 166, 172 and 178, and covers the period from 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2021.

The Welsh Language Strategy Committee is chaired by Professor Elwen Evans KC, Executive Dean PVC of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The Committee’s role is to develop and implement a strategy for the use of Welsh and the development of Welsh-medium education, meeting once every academic term, and reports to the Senate. The Welsh Language Policy Officers attend the meetings to report to its members on matters relating to the Welsh Language Standards, particularly any which are relevant to academic staff. 

The Welsh Language Policy Officers promote, facilitate, support and monitor the operation of the Welsh Language Standards. The role is shared by two part-time members of staff, Nia Besley and Emily Hammett (total of 1.1FTE).  They are supported two days a week by a Compliance Assistant, Lisa Hughes. This team of three forms part of the University’s Legal and Compliance Services, which is based within the Vice-Chancellor’s Office.   

Academi Hywel Teifi (Director, Dr. Gwenno Ffrancon) leads the role of developing Welsh-medium academic provision and support, working closely with the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

The University has an internal Welsh translation team led by Sarah Gray. They provide written and spoken translation. The team is part of the Academic Services directorate.

Gwern Dafis is Swansea University Students’ Union’s full-time Welsh Affairs Officer.

The Welsh Language Policy Officers continue to use various methods to promote and educate and to monitor compliance: various internal e-communication methods, induction session for staff (which is available in both Welsh and English), tailored surgeries and specific training. They also work with the student body to emphasise their rights.

Despite the continuing COVID-19 restrictions, students and the public were still able to communicate with the University in Welsh, using alternative methods such as online chat wherever relevant. 

The following general principles help to ensure compliance with the Service Delivery Standards (with reference to the relevant activities listed in paragraph 31 of the Welsh Language Standards (No. 6) Regulations 2017):

• Students are asked when applying to the University, and again upon enrolment, for their language preference as well as their language skills. These are recorded on the student records system and are clearly visible on the student profile for any staff who have access to the system. Students are able to change the information themselves at any time.
• Correspondence to more than one student (except specific academic course content, unless delivered through the medium of Welsh) is issued bilingually.
• When communicating with an individual student, the language preference will be verified by the member of staff on the student record.
• Correspondence to the public, written, electronic, or information presented on the website or on signage, will be bilingual unless the language of an individual or a group of individuals is known.
• All correspondence or communication received in Welsh will receive a reply in Welsh, with no additional delay.
• The principal corporate social media accounts are bilingual, as well as the main account of each faculty or relevant professional services unit.
• The ‘Mae gen i hawl’ (“I have a right”) student Welsh language rights campaign, initiated by the Welsh Language Commissioner and adapted by the University, is promoted throughout the year, but particularly at specific times of the year (e.g. freshers’ week, open days etc.).
• A Welsh service is provided on the relevant reception areas listed in the compliance notice, as well as on the main switchboard and MyUniHub telephone line.
• All other reception areas, as well as departmental telephone numbers, have been advised to identify Welsh speakers who would be able to provide a service in Welsh if required, or as a final resort, to be aware that there are Welsh speakers on the main switchboard/key reception areas, for members of the public, or at the MyUniHub (telephone or reception) for students. As stated above, alternative acceptable arrangements are in place due to COVID-19.

All new policies and strategies are subject to Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) processes. The EqIA forms have a section on the Welsh language. Case studies have also been created in order to assist in the process of giving full consideration to implications on the Welsh language. The University Equalities team works with the Welsh Language Policy Officers to analyse draft EqIA forms and allow for early intervention in the decision process if required. The Welsh Language Policy Officers keep records of completed assessments.

The University operates a policy on using the Welsh language internally for the purpose of promoting and facilitating the use of the language.

All new employees who indicate when offered that they would like an interview through the medium of Welsh, and existing members of staff who declare when prompted a Welsh language preference, will receive a contract of employment in Welsh, as well as subsequent employment-related correspondence addressed to them individually.

Staff are able to note their language preference on the human resources system, ABW, and this record will be checked when relevant correspondence is issued.

All relevant Human Resources policies are available bilingually on the intranet. 

The Welsh language compliance team’s monitoring activities include monthly monitoring of social media and other communication channels, an annual self-monitoring exercise for each faculty and professional services department, and physical spot-checks across both campuses. The results of these activities form the basis of engagement and improvement measures within each area.

Unfortunately, it was not possible to carry out physical spot-checks in 2020-21 due to the Welsh Government’s instruction to work at home where possible.

No official complaints were received in 2020-2021.

All job applicants are asked for their Welsh language skills, and this information is fed through to the Human Resources system if the individual is appointed. All members of staff are able to update their Welsh language skills on a self-service basis within the HR system, and are reminded to do so annually. Staff are also encouraged to revisit this information as they improve their Welsh language skills.

The Welsh language skills of staff as at 31 July 2021 were as follows:

TOTAL STAFF 4721

Administrative staff (2719 Total)

Academic staff (Total 2002)

As well as this, the Welsh Language Policy Officers offer specific courses, free of charge for staff: a “meet and greet” course (a 10-hour basic Welsh course), an hour-long “Welsh basics” course which introduce Welsh history, common Welsh words and phrases, and basic pronunciation, and an hour-long course that details the Welsh Language Standards requirements. Each of these courses are conducted on Zoom. 

Each new member of staff receives an introduction to Welsh from the Welsh Language Policy Officers as part of the staff induction programme. The induction course is also available in Welsh.

• During 2020-2021, 25 members of staff completed the ‘meet and greet’ course, with a further six completing part of the course.
• During 2020-2021, 13 members of staff completed the Welsh basics course. 
• During 2020-2021, nine members of staff completed the Welsh Language Standards course.
• During 2020-2021, 179 members of staff received an introduction to Welsh at the University as part of their induction training. One member of staff received the induction training through the medium of Welsh.

Free 60-unit Welsh courses are available to all University staff. The aim of the courses are to support academic, administrative and support staff to learn Welsh or improve their Welsh skills. These are funded through the National Centre for Learning Welsh and facilitated by Swansea University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

The number of members of staff that completed the courses during the period are as follows:

Foundation - 19

Intermediate - 5

Higher - 4

Proficiency – 6

In addition to the official sessions, awareness and language sessions are also conducted in a less formal manner as required and social sessions are held periodically in Welsh, for Welsh-speaking staff of all levels. These have been held online since March 2020 but the method will be reviewed as and when staff return to campus.

A Welsh skills assessment is carried out when a new role is created or when filling an empty role. During the period in question, jobs were advertised as follows:

Further information regarding the University’s commitment to the Welsh language is available here:

https://www.swansea.ac.uk/welsh-language-standards/

Alternatively, you may contact the Welsh Language Policy Officers:

Email: welshlanguageoffice@swansea.ac.uk