Annual Fund Projects 2009/10
Student Hardship Fund
Aberystwyth boasts one of the highest student retention rates in the country, with over 90% of our undergraduates completing their degree. The current recession, however, has placed enormous financial strain on some students, with a reduction in the availability of vacation work and parents finding it hard to maintain their contributions.
The Student Hardship Fund will support genuine cases where our students are struggling financially to support themselves during their time at Aber.
Information Technology
One of the problems of living off-campus at Aber is the lack of access to the University’s outstanding IT and research resources when studying at home. Following agreement with the local authority, we are looking to install a number of wireless “repeaters” on lampposts throughout the town which will enable any student anywhere in Aberystwyth with a wireless computer to log-on to the University network in their rooms.
At a stroke, this will increase the availability and access to study and communication facilities for our students by over 100%.
Wherever the University needs it most
If you are happy for your gift to be allocated to the project(s) most in need of “topping-up” in order to ensure that we achieve all of our aims, simply make your gift without specifying where you would like it spent.
PhD Studentships
The opportunity to undertake cutting edge research at a doctoral level is increasingly difficult with grant-funding at a premium and the number of outstanding candidates vastly in excess of the places available. The Annual Fund aims to create at least one three-year studentship each year to cover tuition and maintenance costs and thus enable a deserving candidate to add to Aber’s excellent research record.
This year, the studentship will be awarded within the internationally-renowned Department of International Politics for research into Environmental Politics. This is an area which is becoming an increasingly prominent subject of discussion and debate amongst politicians, policy-makers and members of the public alike. It is also an area in which decisions have far-reaching and profound implications for everyone.
The Environment
The living and working environment of Aber is one of our greatest assets, but we need to continue to improve it to maintain our enviable reputation as one of the most beautiful campus-based Universities in the country.
The Piazza in front of the Arts Centre, with its pavement café and the imposing and practical La Scala sculpture, is a space which would benefit hugely from additional seating, planting and shade. This year’s project is therefore to provide a facelift to the Piazza with the addition of these features.