Iconic home of Welsh rugby to host Cardiff University graduations
27 October 2021
Thousands of Cardiff University graduates will get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to doff their caps in front of friends and family at the iconic home of Welsh rugby – The Principality Stadium.
The 73,000-seater stadium will host graduates from Cardiff University’s Class of 2020, 2021, and 2022. They and their family and friends will be invited to return to the Welsh capital to attend this unique celebration event.
“We know how hard the last few years have been for all our students and how disappointing it was when we made the difficult decision to postpone in-person graduation ceremonies because of the pandemic,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor Colin Riordan.
“That’s why we gave a commitment to hold in-person events when it was safe to do so. We couldn’t think of a better location to hold this one-off graduation event than The Principality Stadium – the beating heart of Welsh rugby.”
Whilst many of the class of 2020 and 2021 may have moved away, the University wants to encourage all eligible alumni to make the return to Cardiff so that their achievements can be celebrated.
“We know many graduates have moved on to exciting new ventures. But we hope as many alumni as possible will return to Cardiff to celebrate their educational achievements with their friends and families in arguably one of the world’s most iconic venues. We are looking forward to welcoming them back to the city to applaud their wonderful successes.”
WRU Chairman Rob Butcher said: “We're delighted that Cardiff University has chosen Principality Stadium as their venue to hold this unique graduation event in 2022.
“Students can share in this special moment with family and friends on the same historic ground that has seen rugby heroes win championships and musical icons such as The Rolling Stones and Beyonce perform. We look forward to creating a spectacular event with the team at Cardiff University to celebrate the achievement of its Higher Education graduates.”
President of Cardiff University Students’ Union Hannah Doe said: “Students have shown great resilience throughout the pandemic and what better way to celebrate overcoming many challenges and achieving great successes than coming together in person in the stadium next year.
“The Principality Stadium already holds a special place in students’ hearts as the home venue for the Varsity fixture - and now for many, it will be the final celebration of their time at Cardiff University.”
Subject to COVID-19 restrictions, Graduation celebrations will take place on the 20th, 21st and 22nd July next year.
More information is available on the website at: www.cardiff.ac.uk/graduation
