The profile of Welsh history is rising, with study in schools (focusing on Wales and the wider world) a mandatory part of the new Curriculum for Wales from 2022. At the same time, there are currently no dedicated forums to bring together those teaching Welsh history in higher education.
In response, a recent workshop at Bangor University brought together Welsh history educators to share teaching approaches, foster dialogue, and begin building a collaborative network.
In this post, Dr Lowri Ann Rees (Bangor University), the convenor and host of this day workshop, shares her reflections on the day.
The project was funded by the Royal Historical Society as part of its 2025 programme of Jinty Nelson Teaching Fellowships to support innovative teaching practices in higher education.
Across the Welsh higher education sector, Welsh history has long been embedded in History degree programmes.
The study of Welsh history aligns with one of the central and distinctive features of a history degree, geographical range, whereby ‘students study the history of more than one society, culture or place’, encouraging an ‘appreciation for and understanding of comparative perspectives’.[1] The profile of Welsh history is currently rising, with its study in schools (with focus on Wales and the wider world) a mandatory part of the new Curriculum for Wales from 2022.[2]
However, while teaching Welsh history in HE is clearly rooted, there are currently no dedicated forums to bring together those teaching Welsh history at academic institutions in Wales and beyond. A sense of a community of Welsh history teachers is lacking, with little opportunity to network and share good practice.
To address this gap, earlier this year I convened and hosted a day workshop at Bangor University to bring together University teachers from across Wales and beyond who teach Welsh history. The event aimed to foster dialogue around teaching Welsh history, to showcase innovative pedagogical approaches, and to begin building a network of practitioners. The workshop was supported by the award of a Royal Historical Society Teaching Fellowship which provided financial supported to host this event.
The day featured a series of engaging presentations:
Dr Gethin Matthews (Swansea University) opened with an exploration of teaching colonialism and imperial history through the medium of Welsh. His reflections highlighted both the linguistic and cultural dimensions of engaging students in complex global histories from a distinctly Welsh perspective.
Dr Shaun Evans (Bangor University) shared his experiences of taking students into the archives, with a focus on the Penrhyn Estate Archive at Bangor University’s Archives and Special Collections. Shaun’s presentation underscored the pedagogical value, as well as the logistical challenges, of integrating archival research into teaching.
In a paper entitled ‘Teaching strange things about modern Wales’, Dr Mike Benbough-Jackson (Liverpool John Moores University) considered the possibilities for and barriers to teaching histories of the supernatural. His work invited attendees to consider how exploring histories of the unexplained can enrich our understanding of cultural and social history.
Dr Euryn Roberts (Bangor University) was joined by undergraduate students Geneva Henson and Fraser Williams to present ‘Trial by algorithm: using AI and counterfactual history to teach medieval Welsh history’, reflecting on the innovative use of artificial intelligence to create teaching resources and stimulate classroom debate.
Dr Marion Löffler (Cardiff University) addressed the structural challenges of module design and validation when developing courses focused on diverse Welsh histories. Marion’s insights revealed the institutional hurdles that can shape, and sometimes constrain, curriculum development.
Dr Marc Collinson (Bangor University) highlighted the significance of lifelong learning, sharing his experiences of designing Welsh history short courses as part of a broader civic engagement strategy. His presentation reinforced the importance of making history accessible beyond the university setting.
Finally, Dr Mari Wiliam (Bangor University) closed the event with her paper ‘Teaching Queer Wales’, offering an account of developing classes and supervising student projects on LGBTQ+ histories of Wales. Her work highlighted the transformative potential of inclusive historical narratives.
Together, these presentations offered a vibrant picture of Welsh history teaching in higher education; one that is bilingual, multidisciplinary, and increasingly shaped by digital innovation and social engagement.
The workshop concluded with a roundtable discussion, chaired by Dr Martin Wright (Cardiff University) about the future of teaching Welsh history.
Discussions highlighted several themes that arose during the day. One focus was the central role of primary sources in the teaching of Welsh history, providing opportunities for students to develop a deeper historical understanding of the past. Another was the scope of Welsh history to highlight global connections, and the interplay between local, national, and international narratives. Students are encouraged to see Welsh history not in isolation, but as part of a wider global context.
A key area of opportunity lies in strengthening collaboration between universities and schools. By sharing expertise, encouraging access to archives and local museums, focusing more on local histories, and creating resources, we can enrich the curriculum and make Welsh history more accessible and engaging.
Importantly, our workshop was held in person, and its success and valued owed much to in-person exchanges. Research shows that despite increasing numbers of virtual meetings and conferences since the Covid-19 pandemic (which certainly has the potential to be more inclusive and accessible), ‘in person meetings are still vital in creating and sustaining academic communities’.[3] Personal interactions lead to authentic connections, building trust and mutual agreements. Through such social interactions, networks can be established and developed, creating fruitful ground for collaborations.[4]
References
[1] QAA Subject Benchmark Statement: History (30/03/22) https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/sbs/sbs-history-22.pdf?sfvrsn=beaedc81_4
[2] Welsh history in the Curriculum for Wales: https://www.gov.wales/written-statement-welsh-history-curriculum-wales#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThrough%20consistent%20exposure%20to%20the,of%20societies%2C%20past%20and%20present
[3] H. Collins, W. Leonard-Clarke and W. Mason-Wilkes, ‘Scientific conferences, socialization, and the Covid-19 pandemic: A conceptual and empirical enquiry’, Social Studies of Science, 53:3 (2023), pp. 379-401.
[4] J. F. McCarthy, D. W. McDonald, S. Soroczak, D. H. Nguyen and A. M. Rashid, ‘Augmenting the social space of an academic conference,’ Proceedings of the 2004 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work (2004), pp. 39-48; J. Verbeke, ‘Designing academic conferences as a learning environment: How to stimulate active learning at academic conferences?’, Constructivist Foundations, 11:1 (2015), pp. 98-105.
About the Author
Dr Lowri Ann Rees
is Senior Lecturer in Modern History at Bangor University, and a recipient of an RHS Jinty Nelson Teaching Fellowship for 2024-25. Lowri’s research and teaching focuses on 18th- and 19th-century Britain, particularly Wales and the landed aristocracy.
Lowri has published widely on this topic including most recently, “Aspire, persevere and indulge not”: new wealth and gentry society in Wales, c.1760-1840, Rural History (2023) and her contribution to the edited volume The Middleman at Middleton Hall: The Letters of Thomas Herbert Cooke, Land Agent in Rebecca’s Carmarthenshire, 1841-1847 (South Wales Record Society, 2023).
Jinty Nelson Teaching Fellowships
Launched in 2023, the Jinty Nelson Teaching Fellowships support History teaching in UK Higher Education. The Fellowships are named after Dame Jinty Nelson FBA (1942-2024), President of the Royal Historical Society between 2000 and 2004.
Fellowships support historians in Higher Education who wish to introduce new approaches and initiatives to their teaching—and for which funding, at one of three levels (£500, £1,000 and £1,250 per award), is required to make this possible. Fellowships may also support those seeking to undertake a short study of an aspect of History teaching in UK Higher Education: for example, within a department or more widely.
In May 2025, the Society awarded its latest round of four Fellowships to support innovation in teaching: further details are available via the grant page of the RHS website. The next call for this programme will be made in Spring 2026 for projects in the academic year 2026-27.
