making things happen - university of wales, newport · 2 making things happen. our newport campus...

MAKINGTHINGSHAPPEN

southwales.ac.uk

WELCOMEThe University of South Wales is a vigorous academiccommunity of many nations and beliefs broughttogether by a shared commitment to thetransformation of lives through knowledge andeducation.

I know from personal experience that the highereducation this University provides is valuedtremendously by graduates and their employers, andthe University’s success in fitting its students for theworld of work is a source of justified pride. Ourdeepest function is universal, and is not confined toone subject or another: it lies fundamentally ineducating citizens who will ask constructively criticalquestions in public life, who will understand the forcesthat shape it and know how seriously (or not) to takethe confused mass of propaganda and fashion thatswirls around in the overpopulated informationculture of our age.

The most important bit of ‘ impact’ any university canhave is to help people to become intelligent citizens,and that means helping them to see what criticalargument looks like, to see what genuine thinking is,and to explore great issues in an atmosphere ofrespect and positive expectation. The University ofSouth Wales is a substantial presence in Britain and inthe global higher education community. I am deeplyproud to commend it to you.

Whether we are educating graduates for the changingworld of work and industry or providing policy adviceto government, pushing the boundaries of appliedresearch or using those discoveries to address thegreat choices that face our society, we want ourUniversity to add value to our communities, oureconomy, and, most fundamentally, to the lives ofthose who study within our lively academiccommunity.

In the early days of the expansion of British highereducation and as the great industrial revolution grew,some far-sighted leaders of business and theirprofessions created small, specialist professionalinstitutions of higher learning in South Wales toeducate the brightest minds of their youngergeneration.

I believe that our founders would be proud to see theUniversity of South Wales today, for we have growninto a major international university, with the verylatest in technology, superb staff, and students frommore than 120 countries. We want the University ofSouth Wales to be known for learning that is fed byworld-class research in selected areas, by thedevelopment we offer for graduate employment andcareers, and for our outstanding staff who deliverinspirational learning, teaching and student supportfed by scholarship, enquiry and engagement with thewider world.

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Rt Hon and Rt Revd Lord Williams of OystermouthChancellor

Professor Julie Lydon OBEVice-Chancellor

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A MAJOR UK PLAYER

Within the United Kingdom, theUniversity of South Wales is unique inthe breadth of its role, encompassinga modern university and twosubsidiaries in Wales’s nationalconservatoire, the Royal WelshCollege of Music & Drama, and TheCollege Merthyr Tydfil. TheUniversity’s work has beenrecognised with UK-wide awards forits innovative support to students,and widening access to highereducation.

The University of South Wales is a keyplayer in the regeneration of Newportcity, the regional economy of theSouth Wales valleys, and the widergrowth of the Cardiff Capital Region.Its iconic buildings form part of theeconomic and cultural landscape ofthe region’s major cities, while itspartnerships with key employers andsubstantial economic contributionare more than simply that of a majoremployer with more than 3,000 staffand a £190m turnover.

From the CBI to Chwarae Teg, theWelsh and UK Governments to themajor employers of the region, theUniversity of South Wales is both akey partner in the growth of its ownregion and more widely, as USAmbassador Matthew Barzun put it, a

“worthy ambassador for Britain’suniversities.”

The University of South Wales isproud to have developed a strategicalliance with the major FE colleges ofthe region. Working with BridgendCollege, Cardiff & Vale College, Colegy Cymoedd, Coleg Gwent and TheCollege Merthyr Tydfil, the Universityhas signed a Strategic Alliance whichreaches across South Wales toprovide further and higher educationacross 38 campuses and a host ofvenues in the community to morethan 98,000 learners.

With a combined turnover of £380m,the Alliance is a powerful vehicle fordeveloping and delivering anintegrated coherent regionalapproach. The Alliance aims to widenaccess and provide local accessibleroutes into further and highereducation, supporting progressionthrough further and higher educationtogether with advice, guidance andsupport for learners. Ultimately itsaim is to provide a fully joined-upoffer for employers to raise skill levels,helping to drive up the economicperformance of our region and theprosperity of all who live and work in it.

2 Making Things Happen.

Our Newport Campus is one of the University’s iconic city buildings, offering a vibrant, professionalspace where students on a range of courses collaborate on ideas as they study.

Working in collaboration, students at the campus have the opportunity to obtain skills and knowledgeto fully equip them with the all-round experience demanded by their professions.

The campus is home to the National Cyber Security Academy (NCSA), a Welsh Government and USWinitiative to help address a shortage of cyber security skills and develop the next generation of cybersecurity experts. The Academy is the first of its kind in Wales and a major UK initiative. Industry partnersinclude Airbus and General Dynamics UK.

The University of South Wales is one of the UK’smajor higher education institutions, with studentsfrom more than 120 countries studying the fullrange of degrees of a large modern university.

State-of-the-art facilities for the

professionals of the future

INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONFOR THE WORLD OF WORK

University of South Wales graduatesgo straight to major employers, fromBritish Airways, General Electric, Sonyand Tata to the NHS, local authoritiesand the BBC. We have a strong recordof employability, with 95% of ourgraduates in employment or furtherstudy six months after completingtheir courses. Part of this is due to thecalibre of the students themselves,and the opportunities for workexperience they have through ourprogrammes. But many students atthe University of South Wales alsoprepare for the world of work in thelatest simulation environments,giving them a real advantage overstudents taught through purelytheoretical classroom studies.

Our students get a real head start intheir professions by training in state-of-the-art simulated environments,including a courtroom; a forensicscene-of-crime house; film, fashionand music studios; a stock tradingfloor; an internationally acclaimedclinical simulation centre for medicaland nursing professionals; anaerospace centre with a real airlinerand flight simulator; and sportingfacilities used and endorsed by worldchampions such as the All Blacks andthe Springboks. The University ofSouth Wales offers a distinctiveadvantage for students: wheretechnology helps to simulate the real-world work environment, they learnby doing.

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More than 80 student nurses took part in asimulated Blue Light Exercise. The studentsworked with other emergency service personnelto manage the aftermath of a mock roadaccident.

As well as responding to the accident, thestudent nurses had to manage the nearbyfictional Dewi Sant Hospital – based in USW’sclinical simulation suite – which was alreadyfilled with ‘patients’ undergoing treatment.

“The University of South Wales is playing a significant role inequipping young people with the skills they need to getahead and set them on the path to successful careers.”Carolyn Fairburn, Director General CBI

Putting learning into practice

A fundamental test for students and their familiesconsidering university is a simple question: am Ilikely to get a job at the end of it?

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THE EMPLOYERS’PARTNER We work as partners with employers.Many of our courses are developedwith the professional bodies andleading organisations who employour graduates, from localgovernment and the NHS to many ofthe world’s major corporations.

The University of South Wales’s mace,the symbol of the University in itsdegree ceremonies, was designed bya lecturer who is a sculptor and artistin his own right, but it wasconstructed by the industry ofGeneral Electric and local industrythrough GE Aviation Wales. Thisrepresents the partnership withemployers that runs through theUniversity of South Wales’s DNA.

Our Accounting courses are hugelyrespected, gaining Gold and PlatinumACCA accolades as well as beingnamed Public Sector AccountancyCollege of the Year by PQ Magazine.In financial and professional services,our pioneering graduate schemeoffers paid work placements inpartnership with Admiral, Atradius,

GMAC and Composite LegalExpenses, providing opportunities toexperience a professional career infinancial services first hand.

Our partnership with employersmakes the University of South Wales amajor contributor to the success ofour graduates and their employers.

USW’s specialist aerospaceengineering facility in the heart of the Dubai South developmentopened in 2018. As a leader in thefield of aircraft maintenanceengineering, USW was the naturalchoice to be the education partner inwhat will be the world’s largestairport. Vice-Chancellor ProfessorJulie Lydon said: “Dubai South iswhere key aerospace markets aregoing to be for an internationaluniversity like USW. As the cityexpands, USW will also be able tobuild on strong relationships so thatother courses developed in SouthWales can be made available toglobal organisations operating atDubai South.”


Natalie Simpson studied her BSc (Hons) Aircraft Maintenance Engineering at the University’s Treforestcampus. Students have the benefit of training in our Aerospace Centre, with its two aircraft hangars,cockpit flight simulator and two full-size aircraft.

The University of South Wales gives aircraft maintenance students the practical in-demand skills they willneed in industry, with access to aerospace laboratories and equipment including a gas turbine engine,wind tunnel and Merlin MP521 engineering simulator.

Our recent aeronautical graduates are in demand in the civil and defence aerospace sectors worldwide.Some of the UK-based companies with which our students work include GE Aviation, Storm Aviation,Airbus, British Airways, and TESAviation.

Hands-on training for a

high-flying career

“The University of South Wales has already established aleading reputation for excellence and partnership withindustry and I am delighted to open this state-of-the-artfacility, which will further accelerate this important work inpower systems engineering.” Lord Drayson, entrepreneur, racing driver and former science minister

GROWING TALENT IN THECREATIVE INDUSTRIES

As well as owning the nationalconservatoire, the Royal WelshCollege of Music & Drama, theUniversity’s creative offering spansthe range of film, animation,photography, gaming, drama, design,journalism, and fashion. A leadingexample of our creative industriescapability is the University’s FilmSchool, which has a deservedinternational reputation. Our state of-the-art facilities for animation,broadcasting, and visual effects aresupported in partnership by majorEuropean funding and industryleaders such as Sony. Our graduatesinclude Ashes to Ashes director PhilJohn; Martin Elsbury, editor of theBBC’s Blue Planet series; actionblockbuster director Gareth Evans;and BAFTA-winning director ofSenna, Asif Kapadia.

However, it is not just within thehigh-profile major players of theinternational film and televisionindustry that University of SouthWales graduates make their mark. TheUniversity of South Wales is a richresource for the UK’s creativeindustries, from the major productionstudios and the BBC at Roath Lock tothe rich ecosphere of smallerspecialist creative businesses set upby our graduates. The University isleading the agenda for the creativeindustries and the digital economy inWales through the Creative ExchangeWales Network, a joint Arts andHumanities Research Council andWelsh Government initiative. In thearts and creative industries, one ofthe major growth sectors of themodern economy, the University ofSouth Wales is a powerful player.


Creative Director of world-famous animation series Wallace and Gromit, Merlin Crossingham,graduated with a film degree in 1995. Originally from Bath, Merlin is now a director at Oscar-winning studio Aardman Animations.

He considers his career highlights to be working as lead animator on Wallace and Gromit:Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and also in key roles on Chicken Run and A Matter of Loaf andDeath.

Speaking about his time as a student, he said: “The degree I studied was focused on providingthe hands-on skills needed for the job. My tutor was an inspiration and a fantastic animator.Having a course that immersed me in the creative and technical challenges of animated film-making enabled me to make the first tentative steps into the animation industry.”

“I can see that the University of South Wales has a brightfuture, from the way it is harnessing students’ creativitywith superb facilities and teaching to make an impact on thefuture of our high-tech industries... the University of SouthWales is a worthy ambassador both for Wales and forBritain’s universities.” Matthew Barzun, Former US Ambassador to the UK

World-class creative graduates

The University of South Wales is a powerhouse forthe arts and creative industries.

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POWERING RESEARCH INTOENERGY AND ENGINEERING As well as being the largest providerof engineering higher education inWales, the University of South Walesundertakes leading research in keyfields of science and technology.

Our work in sustainable environmentincludes energy efficiency and lowcarbon emissions, new materials forenergy storage and efficient use,hydrogen and energy systems, andbioprocess engineering. It is aplatform for experimental researchinto the development of renewablehydrogen production systems andnovel hydrogen energy storagetechnologies.

Wider engineering research includesmajor industry-partnered and/orEPSRC-supported research onoptoelectronics, laser and LEDtechnology, and EU-funded researchon intelligent monitoring of co-firedutility power stations.

With cyber security and crimebecoming an increasing issue facingboth society and the economy, theUniversity has developed a service forthe forensic recovery and analysis ofdata. The University of South Waleshas capability in computer networkdefence and data destruction,computer forensics, as well assituational awareness, penetrationtesting, and data recovery. From ourunique, government-approved, highsecurity computer forensicslaboratory we deliver training andconsultancy work for police andgovernment.

The University provides an unusuallycomprehensive, all-platform andinternationally recognised support totechnology developers in mobileapplications and services. Automotive technology research atthe University, supported bygovernment, is recognised asexcellent by major players in batterytechnology and related automotivecapabilities.


Professor Alan Guwy leads the University’s ground-breaking Sustainable Environment Research Centre(SERC), bringing together leaders from biology, engineering, chemistry, and physics into a singleacademic team and combining their resources and skills to meet the energy security andenvironmental challenges.

SERC has already established the University of South Wales as one of the most forward-lookinginstitutions in its field in Europe, winning R&D contracts worth more than £25m in key areas of theenergy and environment field, including hydrogen energy systems, biological fuel cells, anaerobicdigestion and waste water treatment.

SERCs work in sustainable energy places the University as a leading centre for the development ofbiochemical, chemical, and systems engineering for the research and delivery of sustainable hydrogenlow-carbon technologies.

Applied research for real-life problems

“New universities like this one are at the heart of the UK’sknowledge generation in the field of applied research. Thelinks between the academic expertise housed within itsresearch centres and industry enables this University tomake an impressive contribution to real-life problemsolving. The strength of the University of South Wales’sindustrial partnerships is what makes the University such amajor player.” Professor Sir Christopher Evans OBE, scientist and entrepreneur

SETTING THE AGENDAAs a public policy think-tank, theUniversity of South Wales providespolicymakers and professionals withfresh thinking, new evidence, andabove all innovative solutions to thechallenges they face in effectingchanges across public serviceorganisation and delivery.

USW acts as a crucible in which webring together the latest ideas ofbusiness leaders, public policy experts,and the elected representatives inwhose hands the levers of government sit.

As part of USW's popular GlobalChoices lecture series, public leadersfrom the University’s wider academiccommunity provide political context,and lively discussion. Speakers haveincluded former Prime Minister JohnMajor, Julia Unwin, Rowan Williams,former Cabinet ministers John Morrisand Peter Hain, and Labour politicianShami Chakrabarti.

USW is a rich resource of policyexpertise, drawn on by governmentand both public and private sectors tounderpin decisions on the major issuesfacing our society and economy. Ourinternationally-renowned experts ingovernmental leadership, transport,health and social care policy, economicgrowth and future skills, criminologyand police sciences, and regeneration,work together to provide public policyanalysis equal to the very best in theUK.

Nowhere is our impact more apparentthan in the University’s eponymousmagazine. Recent organisationscontributing, alongside our academicexperts, to USW Impact includeWomen in Science & Technology, theJoseph Rowntree Foundation, theEquality & Human Rights Commission,and The King’s Fund. With economicgrowth at the centre of the publicpolicy debate, the economy is wellrepresented with recent contributionsfrom TheCityUK, Sony, British Airways,the City-Region task force, andCitiGroup.


RESEARCHTHAT MAKES ADIFFERENCE

www.southwales.ac.uk

RESEARCH FORTHE REALWORLD At USW our research provides solutions tothe challenges faced by our society andthe economy. Our researchers work acrossdisciplines to help businesses,communities and policy makers benefitfrom our research.

We continue to build on the strengths ofthe last Research Excellence Framework,increasing the depth and breadth ofresearch and knowledge transfer activityacross the broad range of disciplines.Importantly, research-informed teachinghas positive benefits for students at alllevels of study.

The research highlights that you will readin this publication provide a glimpse of thegravitas that USW provides to our localcommunities, to Wales, to the UK andinternationally.

Professor Martin Steggall,Pro Vice-Chancellor Research

14 Research that makes a difference

BRAIN POWER

Professor of Physiology and Biochemistry,Damian Bailey leads the NeurovascularResearch Laboratory and is Director of theHealth and Wellbeing Research Institute.His unique research work is interestedin the long-term benefits of exercisefor the brain and to what extentcorresponding improvements inoxygen transport could potentiallyslow down the ageing process andprotect against dementia.

Professor Bailey has looked at thepotential links between repetitivehead injuries and long-termproblems in rugby players in later life.Findings suggest that sustainingmultiple concussions “acceleratesbrain ageing and increases thesusceptibility to potentially developearly-onset dementia”.

The research studied the brains ofnearly 300 current and former rugbyplayers, looking for signs of whetherrepeated head injuries make thebrain age faster.

In his most recent work, Damian has been carrying out experimentsthat will help to improve theunderstanding of what impact zero-gravity has on human bodies.Funded by the European SpaceAgency, he is looking at how spaceflight can affect the way blood makesits way through the brain.

Prof Bailey carried out a number ofparabolic flights on a plane known asthe ‘Vomit Comet’, which flies tovarious altitudes, with zero-gravityexperienced during the ‘dive’ part ofthe trip.

“We’re looking to see if theweightlessness research can informsome of the exercise interventionsthat we actually deliver to volunteers,the aim being trying to figure outwhat is it about flow through thebrain that is protective over the adultlifespan, and how can exercise,ultimately, optimise this,” he said.

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WORKING FOR ACLEANER, SUSTAINABLEENERGY FUTUREResearch into anaerobic digestionprocesses at the University of South Walesis helping to tackle today’s energy securityand environmental challenges.

Hundreds of millions of tonnes ofwaste is generated in the UK everyyear. This leads to huge costs forbusinesses and households, as well ascausing environmental damage frommethane, a powerful greenhouse gasproduced in landfill sites. ProfessorAlan Guwy has led research to reducethe environmental impact of wasteswhich were historically sent to landfillsites, by producing sustainableenergy. To support this growingindustry, the team is working closelywith governments and businesses inthe UK and internationally, and with anumber of industrial and regulatorygroups, to develop frameworks forbest practice.

The team has been working withnational and international companiesto develop a deeper understandingabout how complex waste could betreated more effectively on anindustrial scale, producing hydrogenand other high-value materials. Suchmaterials could be used in theproduction of biopolymers, to makemore sustainable food packaging andother products. SERC has helped 45companies in Wales and providedtechnical services to more than 30companies across the UK. Through UKGovernment and European RegionalDevelopment funded programmesworth £32m, the group has providedtechnical assistance to more than 150companies in the area of hydrogenand biomethane technologies.

serc.research.southwales.ac.uk

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BUILDING CAPACITY: OUR NHSUSW is the lead partner in Research CapacityBuilding Collaboration (RCBC) Wales, which isfunded by the Welsh Government throughHealth and Care Research Wales.Its aim is to drive an increase in theresearch capacity and capability ofnursing, midwifery, pharmacy andallied health professional groups andto contribute toward thedevelopment of clinical academicroles.

RCBC represents an opportunity forregistered health professionals innursing, midwifery, pharmacy, clinicalscience and the allied healthprofessions to secure fellowships todevelop their research confidence,skills and expertise, and equip themto lead and facilitate key areas ofresearch and development in thefuture.

The research fellowship schemes alsostrengthen the R&D infrastructure byincreasing the quality and quantity ofresearch in health care in Wales.

All members of the scheme join theCommunity of Scholars whichprovides a mechanism for addingvalue to the studentships. TheCommunity provides mentorship andmasterclasses in research methodsand research leadership throughoutthe year and is an integral part of thescheme and highly valued by fellows.

Some of the projects tackled by thescheme include the exploration ofthe psychological experiences ofpregnant women who have previousFemale Genital Mutilation, and therole of community-based disabilitynurses.

rcbcwales.org.uk


MOBILE TECHNOLOGIESSHAPING BUSINESSSUCCESS USW’s Centre of Excellence in Mobile andEmerging Technologies (CEMET) plays acrucial role in ensuring Welsh businessesare making the most of cutting-edgemobile technologies.

The Centre aims to revolutionise theapproach businesses take tocontinuously innovate, utilisingemerging technologies to providemarket leading products.

With support from CEMET, two eyespecialists have developed an iPad-based game that can check children’ssight at home to reduce the burdenof lengthy medical appointments.The team at Vision Game Labs, hasdeveloped a method to allow parentsto monitor their children’s vision andprovide an early alert to a decline. Theresults can be made available to aspecialist to decide whether a furtherhospital appointment is needed.

Working with Motion Rail, CEMET hasdeveloped a virtual reality systemthat can give users a safe way to learnabout the dangers posed by railways.A record number of young peoplehave lost their life on railway tracksthis year, and a recent survey, carriedout on behalf of Network Rail and theBritish Transport Police (BTP),suggests there is a lack of knowledgeabout the dangers of the railwaysamong young people. Allan Spence,head of corporate passenger andpublic safety at Network Rail, said,“The great work by Motion Rail todevelop their immersive virtualreality is a brilliant way to engageyoungsters and help themunderstand the simple steps that willkeep them safe.

cemet.wales


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CHANGING TIMES FOR HOMICIDEINVESTIGATION

Professor Fiona Brookman is one of the fewcriminologists to study both the causes ofhomicide and its investigation by the police inorder to enhance how homicides areinvestigated, prevent miscarriages of justice,and improve homicide investigation outcomes. Her work in this field has gainedinternational recognition and hertypology of homicide is included inthe ‘Murder Manual’ – the definitiveguide to homicide investigation inEngland and Wales.

Fiona spent the first half of herresearch career interviewing violentoffenders, including murderers, andlater began to interview homicidedetectives and observe them as theytried to solve homicides andprosecute the offenders. Thisincluded spending many months at a homicide unit close toWashington DC.

Prof Brookman explained: “Myresearch has taken me into prisons tospeak to those who have committedhomicide and other violent crimes, tobetter understand the causes, as wellas into homicide units in Britain andAmerica, to better understand howpolice solve, or try to solve, homicide.”

Fiona is currently leading a projectfunded by the Leverhulme Trustexploring how detectives, forensicscientists and other experts usescience and technology in the courseof murder investigations acrossBritain. Fiona is Director of theCriminal Investigation ResearchNetwork (CIRN). CIRN aims toadvance knowledge on the theoryand practice of criminal investigation,with a particular focus uponhomicide and major crimeinvestigation. The network bringstogether leading academics fromdifferent parts of the world withexpertise in major crime investigationas well as senior investigating officersand practitioners at the forefront ofdeveloping practice and strategy inrelation to major crime investigation.

criminology.research.southwales.ac.uk


WORKING WITH INDUSTRYTO MAKE CLEANER,SMARTER TRANSPORT A REALITY Working in partnership with some of theworld’s major players in the automotiveindustry.

The Centre for Automotive & PowerSystem Engineering (CAPSE) is anationally recognised independentresearch, development, test andcertification house with a reputationfor cutting edge research within theadvanced automotive and powersystems engineering sectors.

The Centre has been awarded almost£1m by Higher Education FundingCouncil for Wales (HEFCW) toestablish a large-scale battery andsmart distributed energy simulationresearch laboratory at the University’sPower Systems Laboratory.

Clients and research partners includeJohnson Matthey Battery Systems,Oxis, Yuasa Battery (UK) and Enersys,amongst others.

The Centre is half of a majorpartnership with global leaderRicardo Automotive focusing onelectric vehicle battery systemsresearch and development.

The team at Ricardo has extensiveexperience in the research andapplication of new and novel batterycell chemistries, as well as in theproduct development, engineering,and vehicle integration ofproduction-ready battery packs andbattery management systems.

The collaboration with USW providesRicardo with access to the facilitiesand the support of the majorinvestment in battery systemsdevelopment by CAPSE, while alsoenabling the University to benefitfrom Ricardo’s knowledge andexperience of the challenges of bothresearch and production-intentprogrammes.

Ricardo Automotive MD Rory Fishersaid: “Ricardo is already a globalleader in both vehicle electrificationand in the development andapplication of EV battery systems andtechnology. CAPSE is an importantelement of the UK’s electrified vehicledevelopment capacity.”


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SMALL NATIONS ON THEBIG SCREENInfluencing policy through identifying thechallenges and opportunities facing thecreative industries in Wales is at the heart ofthe work of USW’s Centre for the Study ofMedia and Culture in Small Nations. The Centre’s research has identifiedsignificant market failure in the Welshmedia together with substantialunder-investment in Welsh TVproduction which threatens thedevelopment of a plural, informedpublic sphere. As the powers ofdevolved government are increasing,the media’s capacity to hold power toaccount has been diminishing.

Professor of Creative Industries RuthMcElroy explained: “As a small nation,it is important that, when they accessthe media, audiences see their ownworlds on screen. Audiences need tounderstand what it means to live in adevolved Wales.

“As a result of our work, the BBC hasinvested more than £8m in newsources of programme funding,enabling Wales to be betterrepresented on our screens”.

USW is part of the Creative IndustriesCluster Programme, part of the UKGovernment’s Industrial Strategy andfunded by the Arts and HumanitiesResearch Council (AHRC), whichbrings together world-class researchtalent from leading UK universitieswith companies and organisationsfrom across the creative sector.With a focus on screen industries –film and television production andtheir supply chains – academics willcollaborate to provide research thatcan help the already thriving scene inSouth Wales reach its full potential.

culture.research.southwales.ac.uk


TACKLING PROBLEMGAMBLING: changing perceptions andinfluencing policyIn an area where there has previously beenlittle independent data, a report published byUSW researchers, in collaboration with agroup of Assembly Ministers, reveals that aquarter of people that gamble don’t identifythemselves as gamblers.Fixed Odd Betting Terminals (FOBTs)and betting online on sporting eventsare the most addictive types ofgambling.

Problem gambling is receivinggrowing attention from politicians andthe media. A group of USW academicslooked at the impact of problemgambling in Wales, speaking toindividuals who have sought help atgambling and other support services,support providers themselves as wellas reviewing broader gamblingpatterns.

They found that 26% of people whoresponded to a survey do not considerthemselves to be gamblers, but 99%say they take part in gambling activity.The results also showed that mengamble more frequently than women,and the National Lottery, slot machinesand betting online on sporting eventsare the most common gamblingactivities. People who gamble most

frequently use phone apps, bettingshops and gambling websites.

Bev John, Professor of Addictions andHealth Psychology at USW, said: “Theinitial study aimed to understand asample of experiences from peoplewho have sought help for gamblingaddiction, from people who providesupport services as well as to gain abroader understanding of attitudesand habits around gambling acrossWales.

“Our research has found that thesupport provided by specialist servicesis invaluable to people who haveaccessed it, but there is a lack of theseservices in Wales, and other supportagencies feel that a lack of skills andresources for treating problemgambling means that not everyonewho needs help for gamblingaddiction is necessarily beingidentified and receiving it.”


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