The university was based in Pontypridd, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, with campuses in Trefforest, Glyntaff, Merthyr Tydfil, Tyn y Wern (The Glamorgan Sport Park) and Cardiff.

[2] At the outset, the school had 17 mining diploma students, including three from China.

It originally only took women who lived locally but in 1947, when Ellen Evans was the principal, it became co-educational and in 1962 it also accepted male students.

[5] In 2007, "ATRiuM", a new facility for teaching and research in media, design and the arts was opened in Cardiff city centre.

The university at the time of the merger served around 21,500 students,[8] with 10,227 registered as full-time undergraduates.

The Union has also welfare, education and equality support and there was a democratic structure change to Student Council.