The institution said that it would change its name to Cardiff Metropolitan University and award its own degrees.

Barbara Wilding, chair of UWIC¡¯s board of governors, said: ¡°The board...has determined that there is a pressing need to now invoke our own degree-awarding powers and to adopt the new name, thereby signalling nationally and internationally our departure from the University of Wales.

¡°This university has been integral to the city since 1865. We look forward to a bright future under the new ¡®Cardiff Metropolitan University¡¯ name as a strong, student-centred university focused on the economic, social and cultural well-being of Cardiff and South East Wales.¡±

Glyndwr University applied to withdraw from the University of Wales alliance and award its own degrees in late September.

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The University of Wales has been rocked by revelations last week that staff at a college at which it validated degrees had offered to sell qualifications to an undercover reporter as part of a visa scam.

The Welsh education secretary Leighton Andrews said on BBC radio this morning that the university ¡°probably requires a decent burial¡±.

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¡°I made a statement to the Assembly earlier this week saying that the Welsh government was very concerned about the University of Wales and the damage it is causing to the reputation both [of] higher education in Wales and of the country around the world,¡± he said.

david.matthews@tsleducation.com