Mr Ruben Chapela-Orri
International Languages Project Officer; Tutor
–
Additional Contact Information
Teaching and Supervision
TEACHING
He was awarded Qualified Teacher Status for Wales and England by the Education Workforce Council (EWC) in 2007 and has been teaching Spanish at Bangor University School of Arts and Humanities since 2009.
Alongside his university teaching, he has delivered Catalan and Spanish courses for a range of schools, institutions, and educational projects across North Wales, teaching through both English and Welsh. He has also coordinated TILT (Training in Languages and Translation) Foreign Language Tutors, a work-based learning programme designed to provide language and translation training to businesses in the private sector in Wales.
He is currently a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and teaches language modules to both mainstream Spanish degree students and community learners. He also serves as Languages for All Tutor Coordinator, overseeing the delivery and tutor coordination of Bangor University’s Languages programme, which provides language learning opportunities to students, staff, and members of the wider community.
He has also held a number of leadership and coordination roles in language education. He was previously the North Wales Coordinator for Routes into Languages Cymru and the MFL Mentoring School Lead, pan-Wales projects promoting language learning and supporting the development of language skills among school pupils. In these roles, he was responsible for managing the North Wales strand of the projects and for organising the recruitment, training, and deployment of Bangor University students.
He continues to contribute to the development of future language teachers through his involvement in the training and mentoring of teachers in North Wales through the International Languages Project, funded by Welsh Government and strengthening links between the university and schools across the region.
Activities
2026
- International Languages Project Professional Learning for Primary School Teachers in North Wales
International Languages Project Professional Learning for Primary School Teachers in North Wales.
25 Jun 2026
Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Schools engagement (Organiser) - International Languages Project Professional Learning for Secondary School Teachers in North Wales
International Languages Project Professional Learning for Secondary School Teachers in North Wales.
18 Jun 2026
Links:
Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Schools engagement (Organiser) - A Colourful Finale to the Semester: Chinese Opera Masks Workshop!
The final session in this semester’s Discover Chinese Culture – Free Lunchtime Workshops series brought a vibrant and creative close to another wonderful programme of cultural activities organised by the Bangor University Confucius Institute.
Our last workshop, Chinese Opera Masks: Colour, Character and Cultural Storytelling, welcomed students, staff, and members of the local community for an engaging lunchtime experience exploring one of China’s most visually striking traditional art forms.
Led by tutors from the Bangor University Confucius Institute, the session introduced participants to the rich symbolism behind traditional Chinese opera masks. Attendees learned how colours convey personality and moral qualities, with red representing loyalty, black symbolising strength and integrity, and white often associated with cunning or treachery. These striking visual codes offered a fascinating insight into how stories and characters are brought to life on the Chinese opera stage.
The workshop combined cultural learning with hands-on creativity, giving participants the opportunity to design and paint their own mini opera masks. Drawing inspiration from traditional styles while adding their own personal interpretations, attendees filled the room with colour, creativity, and conversation as each unique design took shape.
We were also delighted to welcome Ruben Chapela-Orri and Nathalie Thomas, International Languages Project Officer for School Languages, to the workshop. Their visit highlighted the growing interest in the Bangor University Confucius Institute’s work across North Wales and the importance of creating opportunities for cultural exchange and language learning within schools and the wider community.
Adding to the excitement of the day, Heno S4C, the Welsh television broadcaster, attended the workshop to film the activity and speak with participants about their experiences. The filming formed part of a wider feature on the Bangor University Confucius Institute’s teaching activities at Ysgol Friars, where students have successfully reached the finals of the Chinese Bridge competition each year and have gone on to win awards for their performances and achievements in Mandarin learning. The filming also included an interview with Nathalie Thomas, who reflected on the excellent links the Confucius Institute continues to build between Wales and China by introducing Chinese language and culture to schools and communities across the North Wales region.
As with all sessions in the series, the workshop created a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, a chance in the middle of the day to slow down, try something new, and connect with others through culture and creativity.
This session marked the final lunchtime workshop of the semester, and we would like to thank everyone who joined us over the past months for their enthusiasm and continued support. It has been a pleasure to share these cultural experiences with you all.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back in the autumn, when our regular lunchtime workshops will return with more opportunities to explore, create, and connect.
6 May 2026
Links:
Activity: Other (Participant) - International Languages Project Webinars & School visits
The project commenced in mid-January, with focus on building partnerships with national working groups, the Welsh Government, Local Education Authorities, Careers Wales, the British Council, Language Institutes and other stakeholders. This included inter alia, sharing resources, collaborating in events, and promoting good practice.
Direct engagement with primary and secondary schools has been undertaken to implement the requirements of the Curriculum for Wales through targeted support visits, alongside the provision of professional learning opportunities for teachers on a case-by-case basis creating a culture of trust and high level of satisfaction of the service users.
Internally, collaboration and involvement were strengthened through sustained engagement and joint initiatives with other teams across Bangor University.
15 Jan 2026 – 31 Jul 2026
Links:
- https://www.bangor.ac.uk/arts-humanities-and-business/international-languages-project
- https://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/2026-06-17-international-languages-project-may-press-release
- https://www.thebangoraye.com/bangor-university-and-welsh-government-strengthen-international-languages-support-across-north-wales-schools/
Other Information
CURRENT RESPONSIBILITIES
- Languages for All Tutor Coordinator:
Training and leading the team of tutors in their delivery of language courses for university students and community learners.
- International Languages Project Officer:
Upskilling primary and secondary school teachers in North Wales.
- International Links Global Project Manager:
Promoting engagement in international projects for primary and secondary schools in north Wales: Taith, Turing Scheme, Erasmus+, CCGL, etc.
- Spanish tutor:
Teaching mainstream degree students and community learners.
FORMER RESPONSIBILITIES
- Routes into Languages Cymru North Wales Coordinator:
This project was aiming to encourage young people to study foreign languages and Welsh. It was funded by Welsh universities, the Regional Education Consortia and the British Council.
- MFL Student Mentoring Project School Lead:
Trained Bangor University students work with pupils across Wales, to talk to them about the benefits of learning a international languages and help them broaden their horizons. Funded by the Welsh Government, as part of their Global Futures strategy.
- Training in Language and Translation MFL Coordinator:
This project was funded by the European Commission.
Personal
BIOGRAPHY
He was born in Girona, Spain, and completed his bachelor’s degree in 2004. In 2005, he obtained an MSc in Marine Biology from Bangor University, returning to Girona afterwards to complete his teaching qualification in 2007.
Throughout his career, his three great passions have been science, the arts, and education. As part of his scientific development, he undertook specialist courses and research placements in northern France, at the University Marie-Curie’s Roscoff campus, where he conducted research on Ectocarpus fasciculatus and other marine organisms, and in Wales at Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences in Menai Bridge.
He subsequently worked for several leading scientific and academic institutions, including the Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) on the Costa Brava, the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) in the Mediterranean, where he conducted research on Helicolenus dactylopterus and other marine species, and the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Girona. His scientific work has focused particularly on marine phycology and ichthyology.
His MSc dissertation, Gwymon traeth ar Ynys Môn (Stranded Seaweed on the Isle of Anglesey), was awarded a Distinction in 2006 and is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.
Alongside his scientific and educational career, he has maintained a strong commitment to the arts. He has written and published several novels and comic books in Catalan and Spanish and has received several literary awards for his short stories. His creative work spans a wide range of genres, including gothic fiction, adventure, science fiction, and drama. He has also been involved in theatre acting and filmmaking, bringing together his enduring interests in storytelling, performance, and the visual arts.