A message from the Head of Development and Alumni Relations
Hello from Bangor!
In this newsletter we bring you the fantastic news that Bangor University has been named Welsh University of the Year and Sustainable University of the Year in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027. We’re thrilled that the excellent work which takes place at our institution has been recognised and we hope that you, as valued members of our University family, are proud to be part of our success.
This month we’re asking whether you can help Bangor University continue to produce quality graduates by offering internships, placements and career support to our students. Being able to draw from our alumni’s networks and experiences can give a real boost to our students’ employability, so we’d love to hear from you if you think that you can help. See below for more details.
If you have any updates that you’d like to share with us, please get in touch at alumni@bangor.ac.uk
Best wishes,
Emma Marshall
Head of Development and Alumni Relations
BANGOR UNIVERSITY NEWS
Welsh University of the Year
Bangor University has been named Welsh University of the Year and Sustainable University of the Year in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027.
The University has also risen six places in the UK overall, climbing from 59th to 53rd out of 130 institutions. These results represent a 7% increase in Bangor's overall score and build on the University's five-place rise achieved last year.
Internships and Placements: Can you help?
Bangor University is reaching out to our alumni community to ask whether you and/or your organisation have the means to support our students through careers and employability activities including work experience, placements and internships.
Graduates today need more than a degree to make their CV stand out from the crowd and our alumni network is a great resource to be able to offer students the additionality they need to boost their employability.
If you think that you or your company have something to offer our students, we would be grateful if you could take a few minutes to fill out our short Alumni Employability Support form.
It would be fantastic if our alumni community could support the future success of Bangor University students in this way.
Nominations open for 2027 Honorary Degrees
Alumni are invited to submit nominations for exceptional individuals to receive an Honorary Degree from Bangor University in 2027.
The University wishes to recognise people who have made outstanding contributions to society, who embody our values and who merit special recognition for eminence in their field.
The University retains continuous links with its Honorary Graduates and in the past nominees have been drawn from science and technology, public service, industry, broadcasting, the academic world, the arts, industry, and sport. The 2026 Honorary Degree recipients were a remarkable group of individuals who represented achievement and influence across Wales and beyond.
Nominations will be considered by the University’s Honorary Degrees and Fellowships Committee, and recipients will be invited to attend degree ceremonies in Bangor in either July or December 2027.
Inclusivity and diversity are important strands of the University’s Strategy 2030 and therefore nominations on behalf of women and other frequently under-represented groups are particularly welcome. Former employees might occasionally be honoured for exceptional service to the institution and / or where their achievement has impacted uniquely beyond the usual scope. In addition, the following accomplishments are not in themselves sufficient reason for considering a nomination: individuals currently holding elected public office, acts of philanthropy, or receiving popular acclaim. However, they would not be a bar should other criteria be met.
Nominations can be made by using this form.
The deadline for submissions is 17:00, Monday 30th November 2026.
Visiting Professors from Royal Academy of Engineering, both alumni
The School of Computer Science and Engineering will host two Visiting Professors funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) over the next three academic years, both of whom are alumni of the University. The Visiting Professor scheme funds experienced industrial engineers and entrepreneurs to participate in curriculum development and the development of innovative approaches to engineering teaching and learning.
Dr. Rebecca Heaton (Forestry, 1993 and Honorary Fellow) is Commissioner at the Forestry Commission. With more than 25 years' experience across major organisations, including Lloyds Banking Group, Shell and BP, Rebecca has built a reputation as one of the UK's leading sustainability professionals. Rebecca will support the development of the new Mechanical Engineering with Materials undergraduate programme through curriculum delivery, problem-based learning and mentoring.
Graham Sargood (Electronic Engineering, 1988 & Electronic Engineering MSc, 1990) is an experienced Chairman and CEO with a successful track record of building diverse technology companies from inception through to sale. Focussing on entrepreneurship, Graham will provide a fast-track business course for engineers to understand the challenges and excitement of taking an idea, research or invention and establishing a funded and revenue generating company.
The School of Computer Science and Engineering looks forward to working with them both.
Bangor Fund Autumn Telethon campaign coming up
The autumn Bangor Fund Telethon campaign will take place next month, managed by the Development and Alumni Relations Office. During the campaign, student callers connect with alumni to share updates from campus, reflect on Bangor memories, and highlight the impact of alumni support.
Last spring, alumni pledged an additional £52,000 over the next five years, enabling the Bangor Fund to provide extra bursaries, field trips, sustainability projects, well-being initiatives, employability activities, and many more projects that provide added value to the student experience.
Persida Chung, Development Officer, shared: “The Telethon provides a great opportunity for student callers to connect with past generations of Bangor University students, to share news and experiences while strengthening the wider University community. We are particularly grateful to all alumni and honorary fellows who generously take the time to share their insight into their post-Bangor lives and careers. The advice and words of encouragement given to our students as they are about to make significant decisions hold immense value to them.”
We encourage alumni to spread the word about the Telethon campaign among their networks and help celebrate the generosity that continues to make a difference to Bangor students. If you would like to receive a call from one of our students during the campaign, please contact Persida.
Learn about the projects supported through alumni donations to the Bangor Fund here.
Bangor Fund supports students on major ocean research cruise
Six Bangor University students have gained valuable hands-on research experience this summer thanks to support from the alumni donations to the Bangor Fund, which enabled them to take part in a major oceanographic research cruise investigating how trawling may affect the ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂).
The interdisciplinary cruise took place aboard the UK Government research vessel RRS Discovery and was led by Professor Jan Hiddink, Professor in Marine Biology, School of Ocean Sciences, and extensively sampled the seas to the west of the UK.
Joining the cruise for between two and four weeks, the students contributed to activities including data collection on the deck and in the labs.
Peggy Gordon, BSc Marine Biology and Oceanography student, said: "This experience has been truly influential in my studies and in my future goals of research in sediment and carbon mobilisation and sinks. Thank you to the alumni who donated to the Bangor Fund and made this possible for us."
Alumnus' legacy supports environmental research and student development
Building on the legacy of alumnus Dr Robert Perrin (Soil Science, 1948), four environmental research projects have delivered significant scientific advances. Focusing on saltmarshes, marine plastic pollution, blue carbon ecosystems and seagrass restoration, the projects demonstrate how philanthropic support can drive research excellence while nurturing the next generation of environmental scientists.
The awards brought together Bangor University academics and undergraduate scholarship students to address some of today's most pressing environmental challenges. Alongside generating new knowledge, the projects strengthened research partnerships, enhanced specialist facilities and provided hands-on experience in fieldwork, laboratory techniques and scientific analysis.
Through new discoveries, stronger collaborations and transformative student experiences, these projects continue to reflect Dr Robert Perrin's commitment to advancing environmental research and supporting a more sustainable future.
Explore ways to support Bangor University through legacy giving
YOU'RE INVITED: BANGOR UNIVERSITY EVENTS
Visit Bangor University Museum
The Brambell Natural History Museum in the Brambell Building displays specimens from the University’s zoology and geology collections. This includes full skeletons, skulls, taxidermy, antlers, entomology, molluscs, specimens preserved in fluid jars, fossils and minerals.
These collections are part of Bangor University Collections and have achieved Museum accreditation, the standard for museums. The zoology collection is also used for teaching, and this remarkable collection continues to inspire both the University and the wider community.
Highlights include a 7,500‑year‑old Irish elk antlers, a Tasmanian devil skeleton, a two‑headed lamb, a range of New Zealand birds, and a Galapagos tortoise.
Saturday 31 October 2026:
· 11:00am – 11:45am
· 12:00pm – 12:45pm
· 2:00pm – 2:45pm
Booking is essential: To enhance the visitor experience and ensure good visibility of the exhibits, attendance will be limited to a set number of people per hour. Proof of booking will be required. For health and safety reasons, tickets are only valid for the time booked, with each visit limited to 45 minutes.
Bring your curiosity and creativity and discover the wonderful small beasts that inspire our natural world!
Grant funded by Welsh Government through the Museums Team, Culture Division, and the Federation of Museums and Art Galleries of Wales.
Small Beasts: Welsh Museums Festival
Join us for a creative and family-friendly day as part of the Welsh Museums Festival on Saturday 31 October at Bangor University Brambell Natural History Museum.
Needle Felting Workshops for Children (Ages 8–12)
Local artist Elen Williams will lead two hands-on needle felting workshops, where children can create their own Small Beasts inspired by nature and the fascinating specimens found in the Museum collections.
Workshop Times:
· 10:00am – 12:00pm
· 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Spaces: Maximum 10 children per session
This is a free event but Booking essential (Please note that all children must be accompanied by an adult throughout their visit)
David Woodford Exhibition
"Being There"
An Evening with David Woodford: Exhibition Opening
5 November 2026
6pm, Pontio
Join us to celebrate the artist and Royal Cambrian Academician David Woodford for the opening of his exhibition Being There.
"Fine Art – And What to Do About It", a personal reflection by David Woodford.
In this opening talk, landscape painter and Royal Cambrian Academician David Woodford shares his reflections from a lifetime devoted to art. Drawing on his own experience as an artist, he explores what makes fine art meaningful, the connections between beauty, observation and understanding, and why art continues to matter in an increasingly image-saturated world.
Woodford considers how art helps shape our sense of culture, identity and place, and reflects on the importance of making artistic heritage accessible to all. Combining personal insight with a lifelong passion for painting, Woodford offers an engaging and thought-provoking perspective on the role of art in enriching our lives.
This engaging talk offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from one of Wales's most respected landscape artists.
The exhibition will be on display on the ground floor of Pontio from 5 November 2026 to 31 January 2027.
All are welcome.
University Remembrance Day service
A short Remembrance Day Service will be held here at Bangor University on Wednesday, 11 November in the External Quad, Main Arts Building (or indoors in Powis Hall in the event of extreme weather).
The service will be led by Rev. John Thompson, Minister at Penrallt Baptist Church. John is one of the volunteering Chaplains on the University Chaplaincy Team.
The service will start at 10:45am and will last for around 15 minutes including the two-minute silence at 11:00am.
All are welcome.
Strong showing for Arts and Humanities subjects in Guardian University Guide 2027
Staff in Bangor University’s new School of Arts and Humanities are celebrating a strong showing in the Guardian University Guide 2027, with three subject areas achieving particularly high national rankings.
Languages and Linguistics is ranked 4th in the UK, while History is ranked 9th and Media and Film Studies 15th. The results provide a welcome recognition of the quality of teaching and the student experience across subjects that form an important part of the new School of Arts and Humanities.
Canolfan Bedwyr Open Afternoon
Canolfan Bedwyr, Bangor University's Centre for Welsh Language Services, Research and Technology, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
Over the last three decades, Canolfan Bedwyr’s mission has been to enhance the University’s Welsh medium academic provision and Welsh language services and increase the use of Welsh in the University and the region.
Last month, as part of the anniversary celebrations, University staff and external stakeholders were welcomed to the Dyfrdwy building at the Management Centre for a paned, some cake and a chat to find out more about how Canolfan Bedwyr support staff to work in a bilingual university. There was an opportunity to get a taste of the work currently taking place in the fields of language technologies, policy, translation, behaviour change, terminology, language teaching and promotion.
Call for contributions to The Bridge
The School of Ocean Sciences we will soon be starting to work on the Winter 2026 edition of their newsletter, The Bridge.
If you have any items for inclusion, such as career updates, reports of your achievements or a short profile of your company that you'd like to share, please email your contributions, with print quality photos if possible, to alumni@bangor.ac.uk by Monday, 19 October.
You can read previous editions of The Bridge here.
£858,000 AHRC funding for project to save the story of Denbigh’s North Wales Hospital
Bangor University has secured Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funding for a three-year project to research, digitally reconstruct, and share the story of Denbigh’s North Wales Hospital, a building with a complex history and stigma in Wales.
Opened in the mid-nineteenth century as the only psychiatric hospital in Wales to treat patients through the medium of Welsh, ‘Denbigh Asylum’, later known as North Wales Hospital, closed for good in 1995. In the thirty years since, its dramatic ruins have drawn urban explorers and ghost-hunting TV crews from across the world.
Voices in the Walls: The Social Afterlife of Asylum Architecture and the Heritage Politics of Mental Health in North Wales, led by Professor Lucy Huskinson, begins in January 2027.
Professor awarded Ecological Engagement Award 2026
Professor Julia Jones MBE has been awarded the 2026 Ecological Engagement Award by the British Ecological Society.
The award recognises the importance of communicating ecological science and is presented to an active ecologist who successfully bridges the gap between scientific research, other disciplines and the wider public. Julia is one of eight distinguished ecologists recognised in the Society's annual awards and prizes, which celebrate individuals whose work has made a significant contribution to both the scientific community and society more broadly.
Academic elected Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences
Khaled Hussainey, a Professor in Accounting at The Albert Gubay Business School at Bangor University, received the prestigious Fellowship following his nomination by the British Accounting & Finance Association (BAFA).
Professor Khaled Hussainey, who joined Bangor University in 2024, has more than twenty-five years of teaching experience and has a growing research reputation in the field of accounting and finance. His research interests focus on corporate narrative reporting, which involves taking financial statements and explaining the story behind the data.
Medical research team wins award for work on improving patient safety
An expert-led medical research team has won the 2026 John Horder Practitioner Team Award for their work on improving patient safety.
The team, which includes Dr Rebecca Payne, a Clinical Senior Lecturer at Bangor University, was awarded the prestigious prize by the Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE) and the Royal Society of Medicine.
