What are the Welsh language Standards?

What are the Welsh Language Standards?

The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 established a legal framework to impose a duty on some organisations to comply with standards of conduct in respect of the Welsh language. With effect from 1 April 2018, the Welsh Language Standards replaced the University’s Welsh Language Scheme.

Students and members of the public have rights to use the Welsh language when they come into contact with the University.

The duties outlined within the Standards stipulate that organisations should not treat the Welsh language less favourably than the English language, and lay out requirements to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language (making it easier for people to use the language in their day-to-day-life).

The Welsh Language Commissioner has a statutory duty to monitor organisations’ compliance with the Welsh Language Standards, and investigate complaints and breaches in compliance. It is within her power to impose enforcement action, county court judgements and fines.

Definitions

	Definition
Academic tutor	A member of staff provided to a student whose role as an academic tutor is to– (i) deliver a lecture or course, or (ii) facilitate tutorials, workshops or practical support to the programme of learning. Provision of a Welsh-speaking academic tutor is not a requirement under the Welsh Language Standards.
App	A software application designed to undertake a specific task on an electronic device.
Cohort	A group of students sharing one or more statistical or demographic features (for example, students born in a particular year, all students or all third year students studying geography).
Conference	For the most part, these should be treated as meetings. Please refer to FAQs for further information.
Corporate identity	This includes, amongst other things, the way a body presents itself by means of visual statements, the name or names used by a body, and a body’s branding and slogans (for example, branding and slogans printed on its stationery). Standard 87 does not apply to the extent that an enactment requires a body to use a legal name.
Document	ONLY APPLIES WHEN THESE ARE PUBLISHED FOR PUBLIC AND STUDENT USE. Includes: licences, permits, certificates; brochures, prospectuses, leaflets, pamphlets or cards; agendas, minutes and other papers which relate to Board or Council meetings or for public conferences and seminars; policies, strategies, annual reports and corporate plans; guidelines and codes of practice; consultation papers, rules, press statements (these must be published at the same time); and any other document not already list where the subject matter/anticipated audience suggests that in should be in Welsh.
Enactment	This means an enactment (whenever enacted or made) comprised in, or in an instrument made under— (a) an Act of Parliament; or (b) a Measure or an Act of the National Assembly for Wales.
Individual	A member of the public or a student.
Learning opportunity	Activities that help to educate, develop new skills or improve existing skills and can include seminars, training sessions and taster sessions. These would include sports activities where a new skill is gained or improved e.g. swimming lessons and intensive holiday sports camps for schoolchildren e.g. hockey or athletics. (But not a regular fitness class led by an instructor). Also included are sessions to improve skills for the workplace (e.g. business skills session), after-school clubs (e.g. computing or coding skills), as well as taster days or sessions for young people or schools on Science, languages etc. Learning opportunities do not include seminars or sessions that are offered as part of a course e.g. a seminar that forms part of a module or degree course. However a one-off or independent seminar on Anglo-Welsh literature which is offered to the public, is seen as a learning opportunity. Learning opportunities do not include seminars or presentations associated with a performance or production. e.g. a touring theatre company offering a talk or workshop to schools before a performance.
Member of staff	An employee of a body or an individual working for a body (and “staff” must be construed accordingly)
Notice	This means any notice that a body publishes, but it does not include notices prescribed by an enactment.
Open days	These are to be treated as ‘events’ under the Standards. See FAQs for further guidance.
Person	A student or member of the public or somebody with a legal or corporate entity. For example, a colleague in another public sector organisation, director of a business or a member of the public.
Personal tutor	A member of staff allocated to a student whose main role as a personal tutor is to support the student in his/her learning or with other matters. The allocation of a personal tutor does not include providing the student with an academic tutor.
Public event	An event for people who are not registered University students or staff. This can include members of the general public, schools, prospective students, students and staff from other Universities, and any other organisations outside of Swansea University (apart from anyone operating in an official public sector capacity). These Standards (34, 35, 36) do not apply to internal events aimed at staff and students.
Public lecture	Any lecture that is open to the public and is broadly advertised.
Public meeting	A meeting where any member of the public or student can attend.
Reception	This means an area in a body’s offices and service locations where staff are made available for the purpose of welcoming persons.
Reception service	This means a service for welcoming persons to the body’s offices or service locations by staff who are made available for that purpose.
Social media	All the University’s corporate and departmental Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube accounts. Departmental accounts are defined as the main account of the college or professional services unit (where relevant). See FAQs for further guidance.
Website	For the purposes of the Standards, this includes student intranet, virtual learning sites and learning portal sites.
Visit days	Are to be treated as ‘meetings’ under the standards. See FAQs for further guidance.

The scope of the Standards

The Welsh Language Standards cover a broad range of activites, however they do not apply in every instance.

The Service delivery standards (the Standards covering the majority of the University’s day-to-day interactions: standards 1-93) only apply to the extent that the activity undertaken or the service provided relates to:

The admission and selection of students	Information provided to students and prospective students about the body	The welfare of students	Complaints
Disciplinary proceedings in respect of a student	Careers service	Student intranet, virtual learning sites and learning portal sites	Graduation and award ceremonies
The assessment or examination of a student	The awarding of grants and the provision of financial assistance	Public lectures	Learning opportunities (1)
Allocation of a personal tutor (2)	Student accommodation, libraries and arts centres	Calls to a main telephone number (or numbers), helpline numbers, call centre numbers and automated telephone systems	Signs on the body’s buildings

(1) "Learning opportunities" means any seminar, training, workshop, taster session, or similar provision which is provided in order to educate or to improve the skills of members of the public; but does not include a) any seminar, training, workshop, taster session, or similar provision provided as part of a course; or b) seminars or oral presentations relating to a performance or production.

(2) a "personal tutor" is a member of staff allocated to a student whose main role as a personal tutor is to support that student with their learning or other matters; the allocation of a personal tutor to the student does not include providing the student with an academic tutor.