Digital (DEC) sponsors course for Arts & FESS, (CS with DILS & History)

CS Masters conversion course expands with ESF and SERC funding.

New masters joint degree course "AI with Engineering", joint with Cardiff Engineering and Cardiff CS.

Frank Bott becomes Head of Department.

7th UK Deep Knowledge residential workshop held at Gregynog

1990s predicted to be period of enlargement of university sector, by Principal Kenneth Morgan

CS reunion (20th year), weekend of 21 September. 100 students attended.

New Trefloyne hall will hold 240 students, to be completed in 1992.

Student Loans company (government owned) started in September

"Women into Computing" event very successful, 350 taken part

The videoteaching network is now fully operational between Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Swansea, and Lampeter. This private network was leased from BT and had fully equiped studios at each location. See the details, below. The network saved much travel for meetings of the federal University of Wales (especially Bangor). It was also used for teaching courses between colleges, for example a joint MSc in AI and engineering between Aberystwyth and Cardiff.

Federal planning documents try to deal with serious problems: the decline in 18 year-olds; the polytechnics becoming universities; and floor funding for research being withdrawn.

The World Wide Web opened to the public. It was designed by English computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee while at CERN in 1989.

Two professors die this year: Prof Norman Twiddy, Physics and Prof John Heading, Maths.

Ken Walters elected FRS in March. Now there are 7 in UCW.

College wide modularisation of courses - a major structural change is planned.

BEng/MEng Software Engineering courses start.

RAE 1992. Grading expanded to six levels: 1,2,3,4,5,5* CS graded 4 (Cardiff = 2, Swansea = 3) UCW weighted average 3.24 in the top 20% of UK

Global warming - Aber scientists report North Atlantic now 11 degrees F higher than 3m years ago.

Bob Matthews joins department as visitor, on exchange with Mark Ratcliffe.

Other visitors, Lynda Thomas, Jinfa Li

The Further and Higher Education Act 1992 made major changes in the funding of universities. This replaced the UGC with separate regional funding agencies for England and Wales, HEFCE and HEFCW, and allowed thirty-five polytechnics to become universities (often referred to as the "new universities" or "post-1992 universities").

The first text message was sent. The Short Message Service or SMS was originally designed for phones.

The second Computer Science Colloquium was held at Gregynog Hall with staff from Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, and Swansea.

Jane Morgan (née Keeler), wife of the Principal, died on 7th August. Aged only 42, Jane was a historian and criminologist and held a lecturing post. She is commemorated by the student housing project, Pentre Jane Morgan.

The Principal says we are moving towards our target of 5,600 students by 1995/6, and predicts a limit of 6000 - "cannot grow forever, will unbalance the town"

Vice Principal Mike Tedd describes the college wide network of over 1000 computers, (200 for general use).

New modularised courses start in first year.

The Centre for Intelligent Systems, CIS, was established by WDA and HEFCW, with funding for CJP & JJR full time, 3 PhD places, a computer officer, technician, and secretarial support.

Weekend team-building started for first year students, at Aberdyfi. This became a major feature of CS student experience.

The Microprocessor Development Laboratory (MDL) is moved to solely CS management and renamed the Digital Systems Laboratory (DSL).

Prof Ian Pyle joins the department.

WDA gives Welsh Technology Prizes to students (Matthew Lett). These started in 1987.

Bob Matthews returns home.

Sendit project (EC) awarded

EURIE'93 hosted in Aber as one of six sites

Peter Parsonage, alumni and MD of K2 Software, sponsors Outward Bound CS courses.

Welsh Development Agency (WDA) technology prizes awarded for final year student projects across Welsh universities, including one for Neil Taylor from the department.

The Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) is restructured as the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). BBSRC and PPARC are also formed for biology and physics.

Team Skills Weekends continue at Aberdyfi.