THE former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams spoke of his hopes for the future of the University of South Wales yesterday as he collected his honourary doctorate.

Baron Williams of Oystermouth, former bishop of Monmouth and life member of the House of Lords, is the chancellor of the newly created university, formed earlier this year from a merger between the University of Glamorgan, and the University of Wales, Newport.

Speaking to the Argus, Baron Williams said that despite differences in identity between the two organisations, they have shared origins.

“I hope it is not a rift, I hope it is two strong institutions that both have their roots in the local community,” said Baron Williams, 63, who now has more than 20 doctorates from universities across the world, including Japan, Germany and Greece.

“They both began by bringing a vision of higher education to the heart of their communities, and some quite challenging communities too.

“If that is the vision they started with, that is the vision they build on.”

That ethos is something Baron Williams hopes to maintain, he said.

“My role will be ceremonial but I would hope to see the chancellor’s role as one of keeping hold of the vision, and being in touch with the people who are actually doing the hard work, talking with them about their priorities,” said the former bishop of Monmouth, who is also a poet and author.

“I think that having on your doorstep institutions that say, ‘higher education is for you, it’s not just for an elite’, this is something that’s good for a community and I think that’s incredibly important.”

The economy of the South Wales Valleys has been “battered” for a long time by unreliable employment opportunities and there is a “poverty of aspiration” as a result, said Baron Williams.

“It is not entirely surprising that people get low, and need to have their sights lifted,” he said.

“I hope (the university) will give employment a lift.

I am enormously touched to be part of this,” he said.

Great and good receive honours

THE newly created 33,000- student university will present 12 awards at its Treforest and Cardiff campuses this week.

Graduation ceremonies at its Newport campuses will take place in September.

Middle East editor for the BBC, Jeremy Bowen collected his Fellowship award on Tuesday, while former secretary of state Michael Heseltine, Baron Williams, former secretary of state for Wales Peter Hain and owner of Cardiff City football club Vincent Tan will be given doctorates.

Other high-profile figures to receive recognition include Melveenna McKendrick, a Cambridge academic; Trudy Norris Grey, the senior vicepresident of Microsoft in central and eastern Europe; the writer David Docherty; the chairman of Public Health Wales, Professor Sir Mansel Aylward; the former chief executive of NHS Wales, Paul Williams; the Honourable Mr Justice Griffith Williams QC; and renewable energy expert David Williams.