First Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Lecturer Posts Announced

Following the establishment of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol (the new national institution for the development of Welsh medium education and scholarship) in March this year, Bangor University has just announced two key academic appointments under the Coleg’s academic staffing plan. These are the first appointments sponsored by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. The new lecturers will commence their five year appointments in September 2011.

Professor John G. Hughes, Vice -Chancellor of Bangor University said:

“These appointments are a definite mark of our commitment as an institution to the development of Welsh medium higher education. The particular support of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol is to be warmly welcomed.”

Dr Owain LlwydDr Owain Llwyd is a native of Glyndyfrdwy near Corwen. He specialises in composing music for film- an area that will be a module choice for Music students at the University from now on. Following the release of a series of CDs of library music by Boosey and Hawkes, his compositions can be heard on programmes such as the X-Factor (in Britain and Europe), Top Gear and several television commercials. Owain comes to the University following a period working as a composer for films in London. Prior to this he was Research Scholar under the Canolfan Addysg Uwch Cyfrwng Cymraeg (Centre for Welsh Medium Higher Education), which is now part of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Dr Craig Owen JonesDr Craig Owen Jones’ expertise lies in Welsh popular music, and as part of his work as a Teaching Fellow (a Fellowship sponsored by the Centre for Welsh Medium Higher Education) at the School of Music, he established the Welsh Pop Archive, a resource for researchers at Bangor and elsewhere. He’s currently compiling a book on Welsh pop music and is keen to hear from any current and former performers. He has already had a number of articles published including one on approach and tradition in Wales in the 1960’s and 70s.

The two appointments are part of a series of appointments to be made at Bangor University in the next few weeks, including appointments to the Schools of Chemistry, Modern Languages, Health Sciences and Social Sciences- all funded by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Dr Ioan Matthews, Chief Executive of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol said:

“The Coleg warmly welcomes these appointments, not only as they are the first to be confirmed under the new staffing plan for the Coleg, but also because Dr Owain Llwyd and Dr Craig Owen Jones have been associated with the plan to nurture suitable academics to be appointed to lecturing posts. We congratulate Owain and Craig on their appointments and note that plans are in train to enable students at other universities to follow the modules that they will be offering.”

Publication date: 13 June 2011