The Old College Appeal

The Old College needs your help.

Aberystwyth is the first University in Wales, founded at the Old College and firmly rooted in its local community and region. 

We have a once in a generation opportunity to both preserve this iconic, Grade 1 listed building, whilst re-imagining its use for the 21st century and generations of students and visitors to come.

The preservation and restoration of Old College will cement its place in Welsh and UK heritage.

Through its innovative design will produce educational, outreach, engagement, enterprise and research activities with far-reaching and vital public benefit. 

Old College will throw open its doors to enrich lives and stimulate learning across all ages and attract hard-to-reach and excluded groups in the town and region.

Our project will deliver major educational, cultural and socio-economic benefits for our students and community whilst fully complementing existing University and local provision.

Our project also responds to multiple challenges faced by our community. Despite the town’s vibrant setting, it lies in an economically-disadvantaged region, with GDP per head below the EU average and at the bottom of the UK league. 

Despite Aberystwyth’s status as a University town, qualifications levels are low, with fewer residents holding degree level qualifications compared to the Welsh average, reflecting the high net migration levels of 18-30 year olds.

Imagine a facility that through its outreach work can spark a passion for education in a young person.

Imagine a facility where visitors from around the world can learn and understand the important place of Welsh culture in the world

Imagine a place where a promising student can test and incubate an exciting business idea.

Imagine a place where researchers from different disciplines, on-site and virtually across the world, can share ideas that will profoundly improve lives or shape public policy.

That place is the Old College.

The support for the Old College appeal has been incredible, we are enormously proud of what we have achieved thanks to the generosity of our community of alumni and friends. But there is still a way to go. Please support the Old College Appeal in any way you can and donate today.

To find out more about the spaces and facilities in the Old College, visit the Old College plans