Young people explore university life at Urdd Eisteddfod

Academics and students from Cardiff University will be at this year’s Urdd Eisteddfod.

The week-long festival in Maldwyn (Montgomeryshire), takes place from 27 May to 1 June and is expected to attract more than 90,000 visitors.

At the Cardiff University tent, a number of fun interactive activities will showcase some of the research and learning young people could experience if they choose to study in the Welsh capital.

Visitors will get the chance to become bee detectives, discovering how medicines can be made from honey, with academics from the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and School of Biosciences.

They can test how fast they can cycle a mile with the School of Healthcare Sciences.

The School of Psychology will be putting on a series of fun games as they explore the wonders of the human brain, while the Widening Participation team will be offering up a Virtual Reality experience.

The School of Social Sciences will be testing people’s knowledge of social science concepts, while the School of Physics and Astronomy will be running a series of classroom activities.

Those wanting to become a dentist will also be able to practice repairing cavities and take impressions before hearing a talk on dental careers from the School of Dentistry.

The University’s mascot Dylan the Dragon will also be on hand to meet-and-greet the crowds.

Cardiff University is also sponsoring this year’s Crown, which is considered one of the main literary awards and is presented to the winning author of the best prose of over 4,000 words. The Crowning Ceremony will take place at 14:30 on Friday, May 31, 2024, in the Pafiliwn Gwyn on the Maes and can be watched live on S4C.

Cardiff University’s Dean for the Welsh Language Dr Huw Williams said: “This year’s Urdd Eisteddfod is set to be an exciting one, with a host of varied activities for young people to get involved with. Our presence at the festival is part of our commitment to the Welsh language. We’re proud to be contributing towards one of our nation’s biggest events, where we have an opportunity to engage with the public en masse and support our country’s civic culture.

“We have a thriving and ever growing community of Welsh speakers at the University and we hope visitors to the Urdd will be inspired by the huge range of exciting opportunities that are on offer for students should they choose to study with us.”

Here's our full 2024 activity programme.