A Decade of Pathways to Success
This year, as Bangor University International College (BUIC) marks its 10th anniversary, we celebrate a decade of student success and the dedicated people who have supported every journey along the way. BUIC first opened its doors in September 2016 as part of Oxford International Education Group’s network of embedded colleges. Established in partnership with Bangor University, the college was created to deliver internationally recognised pathway programmes.
From the beginning, BUIC has provided a supportive first stage of study where you will develop your academic knowledge and English language skills before progressing with confidence to your degree. Based in its dedicated home at Oswalds on the Bangor University campus, BUIC welcomed its first cohort of students in September 2016.
A Place That Feels Like Home
I joined BUIC in its first year and as soon as I walked through the front doors of Oswalds, I immediately felt the warmth, care and sense of community. From the beginning, BUIC has been a place where students are supported academically and pastorally, and ten years later, that same family feel still makes the College a truly special place.
Small Beginnings, Big Ambitions
Our first year was small but full of promise, with 26 students in total across all intake points. Our very first intake had just 3 students on the International Year Zero (IY0) programme. Every one of them progressed, graduated and went on to build strong academic and professional careers.
Among them were Nhi and Niyal, our first IY0 Psychology students who began their journey at BUIC in September 2016. Today, Nhi is pursuing a PhD in Applied Psychology with Cognitive Science in the United States, while Niyal is working as a psychotherapist in Azerbaijan. Their journeys set the standard for the hundreds who have followed.
Growing with Our Students
Later that same academic year, in January 2017, we launched the International Incorporated Masters (IIM) 2 Term Business programme, marking another important milestone in BUIC’s early growth.
From those early foundations, BUIC’s programmes have grown steadily, always shaped by student interest and industry demand. We began with the Pre-master’s (IIM) 2 Term option, soon adding the Pre-master’s (IIM) 1 Term, and what started with Business quickly expanded to include Psychology.
By August 2017, we launched our first International Year One (IY1) in Business, followed soon after by IY1 in Psychology. Today, that momentum continues, with a new IY1 in Computer Science now in development.
Alongside our international pathways, BUIC has also supported the wider university through the Business School Foundation Year for domestic students. As our programmes expanded, so did our community. What started with just 26 students in our first year has grown into a vibrant global cohort, with more than 1,500 international students from over 45 countries beginning their Bangor journey with BUIC over the past decade. Hundreds of these students have already graduated with more than half achieving strong results, including 2:1s and First-Class undergraduate degrees, as well as Merit and Distinction at master’s level.
After graduating, many students have progressed into a wide range of exciting careers across sectors, including technology and digital, public services and government, business, legal and administration, justice, security and law enforcement, health, wellbeing and engineering. Some students have also found their passion in academia and continued their academic journeys, going on to achieve higher-level qualifications such as Master’s degrees or PhDs. These diverse destinations highlight the broad scope of opportunities available for BUIC graduates.
Former BUIC students often return to see us in Oswald’s, where it all began, to share how they’re getting on and reflect on their early days at the College. For me, it’s a real full-circle moment. At induction, I talk to new students about building confidence, developing academic skills and visualising future academic and career success. When alumni come back, those are exactly the things they tell us BUIC helped them achieve. Many describe how their time here set them firmly on the path to reaching their academic and professional goals.
BUIC is powered by a small, dedicated team with an exceptional team spirit and a deep commitment to supporting our students. With an open‑door culture and a student’s first approach, staff go above and beyond every day. We have outstanding staff retention rates, and many long‑standing colleagues choose to stay or return because BUIC truly feels like an extended family. This happy, supportive environment encourages a mindset of continual learning and development, reflected in the strong uptake for learning Welsh, the PGCert HE and HEA Fellowships.
BUIC staff also contribute to and lead initiatives in sustainability, employability, accessibility and AI across the network. Above all, BUIC staff champion each student’s journey, offering unwavering support, celebrating every success, and sharing the joy as they progress and graduate.
We look forward to celebrating this 10‑year milestone together on 13 May 2026 at 13:30 in Oswalds. It will be a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come, reconnect with our community, and share in the achievements that have shaped BUIC’s first decade.