A joint statement said that the two universities would be "working together on a national mission to strengthen Wales’ innovation capacity, supporting economic regeneration and the renewal of its communities", while retaining their autonomy and distinct identities.
[14][15][16][full citation needed] Following the decline in student numbers reported by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) over the years since the formation of the university, for the academic year 2022/23 the university was the 36th largest in the UK and the second largest in Wales when measured by the numbers of students enrolled.
Currently the university's largest campus, with a range of facilities, including an indoor sports centre and students' union.
Formerly the second largest campus, it hosted a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including education, sports, history, fashion design, art and photography.
[26] The university cited the need to invest around £20 million to improve and upgrade facilities as the primary reason for its closure.
The university sold the campus for £6.2 million to Redrow [28] for housing development despite the strong opposition to the planned re-development from local residents.
[30] On 7 August 2016 the Welsh Government announced that they would recommend that the main building, gatehouses and gate-piers be listed as 'buildings of special architectural and historic interest'.
The University of South Wales expressed their continued opposition to the proposed listing but the announcement was welcomed by local politicians and the Caerleon Civic Society.
[31] Grade II listing of the Main Building, the Principal's Residence, Gate Piers and Caretaker's / Gardener's Lodge was confirmed on 3 March 2017.
[36] In 2014, USW spent an estimated £300,000 developing a campus in the Docklands area of London, but in January 2015 cancelled the project before taking on any students.
[40] The former vice-chancellor of the university, Julie Lydon, was appointed an OBE for services to higher education in Wales in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours.
This academy is a joint venture with industrial partners and Welsh Government and has been recognised by the UK's national security organisation GCHQ.
[53] Its precursor institutions have been recognised for producing some world-leading and internationally excellent research in specialist areas, such as mechanical, aeronautical & manufacturing engineering, social work, social policy & administration, education, history, art and design,[54] nursing and midwifery, architecture and the built environment, English language and literature, communication, cultural & media studies, sports-related studies.
[55] The university has provided a partnership platform for think-tanks such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation[56] to develop debate on public policy reform in the UK.