ICWS Newsletter May/June 2012

 ICWS Newsletter
May/June 2012
VOL. 7, 1st May 2012
Swansea
University leaps 11
places in UK
league ratings
Swansea University has leapt 11
places in the Complete University
Guide 2013
(http://www.thecompleteuniversitygu
ide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings),
confirming it is the most improved
University in Wales over the last
three years.
Director’s welcome
The rush of students in and out of their examination sessions reminds me that
another term is drawing to an end. This has been an exceptional term for ICWS
which started with a visit from the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for England
and Wales and has ended with an update of the visa regulations under the UK
Border Agency (UKBA) Tier 4 Student Visa system. Whilst many of you will be
unfamiliar with the workings of the QAA, nearly all of you will have experience of
the Tier 4 visa system. Importantly both processes show how the UK has
implemented robust systems that assure the quality of UK Higher Education. As a
consequence you can be confident that successful completion of your degree
The Complete University Guide is an
independent organisation that has
been publishing league tables online
since 2007 and covers 116 UK
universities. The guide shows that
Swansea has improved consistently rising from 60th place in 2011 to
49th in 2013 - resulting in Swansea
standing proud as the second highest
ranked Welsh University in the
guide’s league table.
This recognises the hard work
underway across the University,
which aims to continue to support all
students and challenge them to do
their best.
studies will lead to an award that is recognised around the world and has been
achieved in a quality driven education system. At the College level, the
partnership with the University continues to grow in strength and this has led to
an expansion of the portfolio programmes and over the past year alone we have
introduced new undergraduate and postgraduate
pathways in Science, Engineering, Economics,
Finance and Banking.
Of course all of the above doesn’t just happen by
chance! This is all maintained by the hard working
staff at ICWS. So whilst I think about you doing
your examinations, can you spare a minute to think
about the hard work that my team commit to
supporting you on the path to success and the
award of a degree from Swansea University.
Good luck with the examinations and enjoy your scheduled leave period.
Neil
Dr Neil Lucas
College Director/Principal SPRING into Swansea’s social scene!
What better way to celebrate the arrival of the summer weather than to relax with friends at some of Swansea’s many
social activities?
The Olympics are coming!
Be part of the Games – The Olympic torch will be coming to Swansea on May 26th, and there will
be a big celebration in Singleton Park on that night, with live music and other events going on.
Tickets for this event are free, you just have to collect tickets from Swansea Tourist Information
Centre (opposite the Quadrant Bus Station), ring 01792 637000 or book online (see
www.swansea.gov.uk for more information). Pitch & Putt
Ashleigh Road – along Swansea Prom – is home to Swansea’ only 10 hole pitch and putt course. It’s a great way to
spend an afternoon relaxing in the sun with some friends (maybe before a nice picnic on the beach – check out this
month’s delicious spring recipe!). You can hire clubs and play for a small fee, and it’s great for beginners and experts
alike!
The Big Jubilee Lunch in Castle Square
On Sunday 3 June, 2012 grab a picnic and bring your friends to this lovely community event in the bunting-festooned
Castle Square. There will be tables available for the general public on a first-come, first-served basis. If you miss out
on a table, then just spread your picnic out on the steps around the square. There'll be other street parties happening
in local communities too - get some inspiration on the Big Lunch website http://www.thebiglunch.com/
BBC Diamond Jubilee Concert from Buckingham Palace
On Monday 4 June, 2012 The BBC and music maestro Gary Barlow are bringing together some of the biggest names
from the worlds of music and dance. Some big names have already been released and include Shirley Bassey, Alfie Boe,
Jools Holland, Jessie J, JLS, Elton John, Tom Jones, Lang Lang, Annie Lennox, Madness, Paul McCartney, Kylie Minogue,
Cliff Richard, Ed Sheeran and Stevie Wonder.
The concert will be broadcast live on the Big Screen in Castle Square, so relax in a deckchair and enjoy the show with
your friends.
Swansea praised for its class and vibrancy
“A CLASSY, vibrant and metropolitan city with some of the friendliest people on Earth” – that's how a top football
magazine FourFourTwo has described Swansea. The praise from FourFourTwo magazine comes in the build-up to the
Swans home game against Blackburn in the Premier League on the weekend.
Journalists from the magazine visited Swansea to spend some time in the area based around the
Everton match at the Liberty Stadium. Swansea Council helped organise and oversee the visit.
Swansea now features alongside cities like Barcelona and Liverpool in the magazine's online
travel guide. The magazine says: "The city centre itself has enough to keep anyone happy: a
superb National Waterfront Museum packed with fascinating interactive
features, great restaurants, a buzzing nightlife and a flourishing market,
where you can find bargains on everything from haddock to haircuts. "Go
west to Gower and you can find something you wouldn't necessarily associate with Wales: a
prime spot for surfing. The astonishingly beautiful combination of beach and hills is
quintessentially Welsh, something you can also see further afield in Pembrokeshire – though
Swansea is much more accessible than west Wales, and boasts a Premier League football team.
Swansea is truly an exciting place to visit these days, as well as being home to some of the
friendliest people on Earth."
Top football writer Oliver Holt, of the Daily Mirror, was in Swansea for the Newcastle game. During some down time, he
posted on Twitter to over 100,000 followers that Rhossili Bay and Worm's Head are among the most beautiful pieces of
coastline in the UK.
Steve Hopkins, Swansea Council's Tourism and Marketing Manager, said: "It's great news that leading football
magazines and journalists have been so glowing in their praise for Swansea as a visitor destination. It shows the city is
scoring both on and off the field of play because of Premier League status and the worldwide exposure it brings. We've
been running intensive campaigns all season to encourage football fans to Swansea Bay and the overwhelming majority
of visitors have had nothing but positive things to say about Swansea Bay and the welcome they've received. This
augurs well for return visits in future as the Swans make their final push towards guaranteeing lucrative Premier League
status for at least another season."
Have a look at http://www.visitswanseabay.com/fanscorner to see a guide to Swansea Bay that's been put together for
visiting Premier League fans.
Cardiff city guide
Cardiff, Wales’ vibrant Capital City, is filled with great attractions, entertainment, culture and shopping, and is less than
an hour’s train ride from Swansea. Within the few square miles of the city-centre alone, you'll find a wealth of things to
do, whatever your tastes.
In the heart of the City lies Cardiff Castle, one of Wales’ leading heritage attractions. During its 2000 year history, the
Castle has been a Roman Garrison, a Norman stronghold and in Victorian times was transformed into a gothic fairytale
fantasy. As well as being able to take tours of the Castle, visitors can also enjoy the numerous events that take place in
its grounds throughout the year, including mediaeval jousting, open air theatre and even a cheese festival! For more
information visit www.cardiffcastle.com.
Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium holds host to some of the biggest sporting events in Wales
throughout the year. The stadium seats over 74,000 people and the atmosphere in and
around the City on match days is something not to be missed. On Saturday June 2nd the
Welsh rugby team will be playing the Barbarians, a team made up of some of the best
International players from around the World. But the Millennium Stadium isn’t just
home to the Welsh rugby team. A whole host of other events take place there
throughout the year, including Speedway, boxing, music concerts and excitingly this
year, a number of Olympic football matches.
For those who want to take part in some sports whilst in the City, Cardiff International
White Water (CIWW) is a man made white water rafting facility where you can sample white
water rafting, kayaking, river boarding, hydro speeding and hot dogging! The staff at CIWW
are fully trained to provide expert tuition for those who are complete beginners to white
water sports, so the only thing you’ll need to worry about is getting wet! For more
information visit, www.ciww.com.
There are a number of fantastic theatres and music venues in Cardiff. A huge number of big
names in music, television and comedy are playing at the venue in the coming months,
including JLS, Blink 182, Michael McIntyre and Example. Check www.livenation.co.uk for
further details and ticket availability. There are a number of smaller music venues in the
City as well. Clwb Ifor Bach (or Welsh club as it is known by the locals) has bands playing
on most weekends. Full listings can be found at www.clwb.net/eng The Wales Millennium centre is situated on the
stunning Cardiff Bay, just a short bus or taxi ride from the City Centre. The centre is Wales’ number one visitor
attraction, and looking at it from the outside you can certainly see why. For information on exhibitions, workshops,
tours, performances, plays and comedy shows at the Millennium centre, go to www.wmc.org.uk.
If you’re looking for a spot of retail therapy, then Cardiff has an impressive number of high
street stores, independent boutiques and beguiling shopping arcades. Queen’s Arcade is home
to some of Cardiff’s most exciting and fashionable boutiques, shops, jewellers and cafes. The
World’s oldest record store (founded in 1894), Spillers Records is situated in the Queen’s
Arcade. The store has a diverse selection of music on both compact disc and vinyl, and the
owners are more than willing to hunt down any music that you are looking for that they do not
have in store.
The St David’s shopping centre is home to many well known high street stores. From John
Lewis, H&M and Debenhams, to G Star, Kurt Geiger and Jo Malone, the centre has something
for everyone. The centre also has an impressive number of cafes and restaurants, so you can
stop for a bite to eat or a coffee if all the shopping is getting too much for you!
All in all Cardiff is a great City to get to know. If you’re visiting for the day or for a weekend, there is so much to see and
do that you’ll certainly have trouble fitting it all in!
Useful websites
www.nationalrail.co.uk
www.visitcardiff.com (includes a Cardiff Essential guide)
www.eventsincardiff.com
http://www.visitcardiff.com/accommodation
Asparagus Frittata
Hot or cold tortillas make a tasty change from sandwiches or why not take it
for a spring picnic? Plus asparagus is in season in Britain for just a few short
weeks so grab it while you can!
Ingredients
•
•
•
•
•
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon salt
1 pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off, spears cut diagonally
into 1-inch lengths
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
•
1 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
What to do
Heat olive oil into a 10-inch oven-proof frying pan over a medium high heat. Add onions and salt
and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened (about 3 minutes). Add asparagus;
reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the asparagus is barely tender (6 to 8
minutes). Pour in eggs and cook until almost set, but still runny on top (about 2 minutes). While
cooking pre-heat the grill.
Sprinkle cheese over eggs and put in the grill until cheese is melted and browned (about 3 to 4
minutes). Remove from oven with oven mitts and slide frittata onto a serving plate. Cut into
wedges.
Student Profile Interview
Tia (Zhi Ying CHI)
Nationality Malaysia,
Studying Business with ICWS.
Hi Tia! So, why did you choose Swansea to study?
I saw on the internet how beautiful it is and the environment looked very
nice so I wanted to come here.
What were your first impressions of Swansea and ICWS?
I thought the buildings here were very beautiful and full of so much history. It is a very peaceful place, a nice study
environment.
What is your favourite thing about Swansea?
The people! I heard before I came here that the Welsh people are very friendly and it is true, everyone is so nice.
Have you done a lot of travelling?
I did my foundation year study in Australia, but my sister is studying for her Masters in Cardiff and she was telling me
how nice the UK was and so I came here. I visit her a lot, it’s great for shopping! It’s nice having family nearby.
How are you feeling about your studies?
Very good. I always struggled with computers before I came here, but the other day I did a test in class and had 100%!
The teachers here are so good, they really helped me.
Do you have a favourite teacher?
Kath who teaches ICT. She is very lovely and helpful.
Inspirational Quotes
“The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.” - Frank Loyd Wright
“The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed.” - Richard Brinsley Sheridan
“Success does not consist in never making blunders, but in never making the same one a second time.” - Josh Billings
Swansea Health and fitness
Fresh and Free!
A good balanced diet and regular exercise is essential for keeping yourself fit and healthy. But gym memberships can be
expensive, even with student discount.
The great news is… summer’s here! The days are longer and (slightly) warmer, and Swansea Bay is a great place to get
outside and enjoy the fresh air. The ‘Swansea Prom’ fitness trail stretches from the Civic Centre in the Marina along the
coastal path towards Mumbles. It is 2.5 miles (4km) long, and has lots of fitness equipment along the way to build up
those muscles! The equipment includes rowing machines, skiing machines, sit-up aids and many others. The path is
right alongside the beach, so you can use it as you watch the sea crashing against the sand – much more relaxing and
enjoyable than being in a gym! All this equipment is free to use, so make the most of it.
Walking to university is another great way to get some fresh air and free exercise. If you live in Swansea Marina, the
walk to the university is nice and flat, and right alongside the beach (the sea air will definitely wake you up in the
morning!) The morning air will make sure that you’re alert and ready for your classes too, so you’re much more ready to
take in all that knowledge!
So go on, give Fresh Air and Free Exercise a go! Give yourself a little incentive – walking to university means you’ll save
the money you’d usually spend on the bus fare… so you can buy yourself an ice-cream on the way home!
ICWS staff vs ICWS students football match review
After much debate between staff, students, and many other fans on
Facebook, at 5.30pm on Thursday 29th March the ICWS Staff and Student
teams lined up on the University Astro turf to face each other.
Richard Chimebele from Abuja, Nigeria, led out the ICWS student team,
whilst Steffan Davies, ICWS Finance, led out the ICWS staff team. After
fifteen minutes and many close attempts both teams remained at 0-0 after
being denied any goals by the opposite team’s goal keepers.
After some intense pressure on the ICWS staff goal keeper by the ICWS
student team, Hilton Dean from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, smashed home the
opening goal, bringing the score to 1 – 0 and a deserved lead for the
students.
The second half opened slowly, with the ICWS staff maintaining the upper hand, and keeping possession of the ball. 5
minutes into the second half, a deflected shot from Chris Goodbourn (ICWS staff) hit the student team’s cross-bar and
Steffan Davies buried the ball in to the net to tie the score.
The game was now fully opened up with both teams hitting close to target on
numerous occasions, but with no success.
With one minute to go the ICWS student team narrowly missed taking the
lead, as the ICWS staff team was helped by a wonder save from Charlie Vine
(ICWS Marketing).
With 30 seconds to go Charlie Vine cleared the ball to Chris Goodbourn who
was positioned wide on the wing and sweeped the ball through to Neil Lucas,
ICWS College director, in the centre of the pitch. With just 10 seconds to go,
Neil flicked the ball over to Steffan Davies whose shot beat the student goal
keeper to give the staff victory, with just 5 seconds left of the match!
ICWS would like to thank all students, staff and teachers who came to play
and support the match, a wonderful atmosphere, but this time the crown goes to the older, more experienced staff
team!
Final score: Staff 2 : 1 Students - Re-match next term?
Swansea University shoots… and scores a promotion!
Swansea University’s unbeaten basketball team scores itself a promotion with its 71-50 win over Aberystwyth
University. After a five-year absence, the team, led by captain Daniel Buttifant, are now proudly in the BUCS Western
Division 1A.
Buttifant puts his team’s success down to their strong bond. He says “I think the
key reason to our success this season has been our team chemistry. As a unit we
all get on really well on and off the court”.
Ex-ICWS student Henry Sondo and current ICWS student Ajing Jipur formed
strong defensive blocks against the resilient Aberystwyth side, helping Swansea to
win the match and secure their well-deserved promotion.
Getting involved with the sports and social side of Swansea can really enhance
your time at university, as you get to meet new friends, not just on your course,
but with similar interests outside of your studies. Remember, as an ICWS student you have full access to all of the
sports teams and societies that Swansea University offers, so take the opportunity to get involved and meet some new
friends. This could also make your progression to Swansea University easier, as you’ll already have friends in the
University before you even go! Check out www.swansea-union.co.uk for more information.
Photo – waterfrontonline.com
ICWS Barclays Premier League competition winners.
Congratulations to Mohamed Al Drees, from Saudi Arabia, Sadeq Taha, from Jordan and Zhan Yang Tang, from Malaysia; the
winners of the ICWS photo/video competition.
All three have won tickets to the Barclays Premier League Swansea City vs Liverpool
football match, including access to the business lounge where they will have the chance to
meet the players.
Thanks to all who took part in the competition, the ICWS team have judged the entries, and
deemed that the above three were the winners, WELL DONE!!
If you would like to see the winning entries please visit
http://www.facebook.com/icwsuk
Important dates....
Undergraduate
English Language
Postgraduate
Enrolment starts
Monday 21st May 2012
Enrolment starts
Monday 25th June 2012
Enrolment starts
Wednesday 20th June 2012
Teaching starts
Monday 28th May 2012
Teaching starts
Monday 2nd July 2012
Teaching starts
Monday 25th June 2012
Teaching finishes
Friday 17th August 2012
Teaching finishes
Friday 7th September 2012
Teaching finishes
Friday 31st August 2012
Exams start
Monday 20th August 2012
Results released
11th September 2012
Exams start
Monday 3rd September 2012
Exams finish
Wednesday 29th August 2012
Exams finish
Friday 7th September 2012
Results released
Monday 17th September 2012
Results released
21st/22nd September 2012
May’s Crossword Puzzle
May’s Soduku Puzzle
Across
1 A town in Korea.
3 Bad weather
incident.
7 Sleep.
9 Negating word.
10 Consume food.
11 10 yesterday.
13 Rapid rotation.
14 Egg-shaped.
16 Here be lions.
19 The middle of a
storm.
20 The edge of a
mouth.
21 Another coat of
colour.
24 Touch dance.
25 To increase in size.
Down
1 Dried fruit.
2 Everything and everybody.
4 Definite article.
5 Mediterranean island.
6 Leave out.
7 Fastening device.
8 A car not made in Rennes.
11 Addition conjunction.
12 A long time.
15 A central pumping
device.
17 This is at the end of a
course.
18 Before May.
Sudoku Instructions
The aim of the puzzle is to fill every square with a
number between 1 and 9.
•
Each set of 9 squares must contain the
numbers 1 to 9 in any order.
•
Each row of 9 squares must contain the
numbers 1 to 9 in any order.
•
Each column of 9 squares must contain the
numbers 1 to 9 in any order.
No row or column can contain the same number twice,
and neither can any of the 3 by 3 square subsections.
Good luck!
22 Did it come before the
chicken?
23 Recently made or
produced.
Solution to the last puzzle
Solution to the last puzzle