Public Lecture: Mark Drakeford on ‘Making a better future’
freeWe are honoured to host Dr. Mark Drakeford MS in giving one of his first public speeches since stepping down as First Minister for Wales, in which he will provide a vision for “Making a Better Future”.
After the lecture there will be an opportunity for audience questions. The lecture and questions will last one hour and will mark the opening of the Engineering Academics Network’s 2024 Annual Congress.
Dr Drakeford will be welcomed by Cardiff University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof Damian Walford Davies, and the lecture will be chaired by Dr Rhys Morgan, the Royal Academy of Engineering’s strategic lead on engineering education, skills and inclusion.
Doors open 5.30pm. Lecture will begin at 6pm.
Register below to attend. If you have already registered to attend the EAN Congress, you do not need to register separately for the public lecture.
Mark was born and brought up in west Wales before moving to Cardiff more than 30 years ago. He has been a probation officer, youth justice worker and Barnardos project leader in Ely and Caerau, and was a professor of Social Policy and Applied Social Sciences at Cardiff University. Mark has also taught previously at Swansea University. Mark was first elected as a Labour Councillor to on South Glamorgan County Council, specialising in education issues, including Welsh medium education, in the 1980s. Between 2000 and 2010 he worked as a health and social policy adviser to the Welsh Government, and was latterly head of the First Minister’s political office.
Mark became the Assembly Member for Cardiff West in May 2011. He was Chair of the Assembly’s Health and Social Care Committee from July 2011 - March 2013 until he was appointed Minister for Health and Social Services in March 2013. He later became Finance and Local Government Minister and then became First Minister of Wales. He has been First Minister during the coronavirus pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis. He stepped down from this role in March 2024.
His portfolio of work includes analysis of the UK engineering skills base and the capacity and capability of UK engineering education to deliver the workforce of the future. He sits on and advises various government skills taskforces including nuclear, quantum and transport.
He has led major activities including Formula 1 champion Sir Lewis Hamilton’s commission into improving the representation of Black people in UK motorsport, research into the state of UK STEM education and pedagogies for teaching engineering in schools, colleges and universities. Rhys also advises on the Academy’s broader engagement with the engineering profession including the collective of 40 Professional Engineering Institutions, the Engineering Council and EngineeringUK.
The venue
The lecture will take place at the glossy Centre for Student Life, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3BB. The Centre for Student Life is a service-led project delivered in partnership with the Students’ Union and is part of the biggest campus upgrade in a generation. It is the fruition of a successful and dynamic partnership that the University is proud to enjoy with its student body.
Parking
Cardiff has good public transport links and cycling and walking routes. We encourage everyone to travel by sustainable modes of transport where possible, supporting Wales in securing a low-carbon future.
There is public street parking along Park Place, where blue badge holders can park free of charge.
Bicycle parking
There are 62 cycle bicycle parking spaces available. This includes 8 Sheffield Cycle rack spaces, and 54 vertical cycle spaces.
Accessibility: Please let us know in advance if you are a wheelchair user or have any other accessible requirements. We can work with you to ensure everyone has their requirements met.
More accessibility information can be found here.
The Engineering Academics Network
This event is being run by the Engineering Academics Network which will be in Cardiff for its Annual Congress, kindly hosted by Cardiff University
The EAN Congress is an annual event where engineering academics from universities all over the UK come together to explore issues in education and engineering. This year’s Congress theme is ‘Engineers for the Future’.
To find out more about the EAN Congress and to book for the whole programme of activities and speakers, visit bit.ly/EANCongress24.
The event is kindly supported by the Engineering Professors’ Council and Cardiff University.
Gwybodaeth am y digwyddiad:
Mae’n anrhydedd gallu croesawu Dr. Mark Drakeford AS i draddodi un o’i areithiau cyhoeddus cyntaf ers iddo ymddiswyddo fel Prif Weinidog Cymru, a bydd yn cynnig ei weledigaeth ar gyfer “Creu Dyfodol Gwell”.
Ar ôl y ddarlith, bydd cyfle i aelodau o’r gynulleidfa holi cwestiynau. Bydd y ddarlith a’r cwestiynau’n para am awr, a bydd yn nodi agoriad swyddogol Cyngres Flynyddol 2024 Rhwydwaith Academyddion Peirianneg.
Bydd Dr Drakeford yn cael ei groesawu gan Ddirprwy Is-ganghellor Prifysgol Caerdydd, yr Athro Damian Walford Davies, a bydd y ddarlith yn cael ei chadeirio gan Dr Rhys Morgan, arweinydd strategol yr Academi Beirianneg Frenhinol ym maes addysg beirianneg, sgiliau a chynhwysiant.
Bydd y drysau’n agor am 5.30pm. Bydd y ddarlith yn dechrau am 6pm.
Cofrestrwch isod i gadw eich lle. Os ydych chi eisoes wedi cofrestru ar gyfer Cyngres y Rhwydwaith Academyddion Peirianneg, does dim angen i chi gofrestru eto i fynd i’r ddarlith gyhoeddus.
Siaradwyr:
Gwybodaeth am Dr. Mark Drakeford AS
Cafodd Mark ei eni a’i fagu yn y gorllewin, cyn symud i Gaerdydd dros 30 o flynyddoedd yn ôl. Mae wedi bod yn swyddog prawf, gweithiwr cyfiawnder ieuenctid ac arweinydd prosiect Barnardos yn Nhrelái a Chaerau, yn ogystal ag yn Athro Polisi Cymdeithasol a’r Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol Cymhwysol ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. Mae Mark hefyd wedi addysgu ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe. Yn yr 1980au, cafodd Mark ei ethol i Gyngor Sir De Morgannwg yn Gynghorydd Llafur am y tro cyntaf, lle’r oedd yn arbenigo mewn materion yn ymwneud ag addysg, gan gynnwys addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg. Rhwng 2000 a 2010, bu’n gweithio fel cynghorydd iechyd a pholisi cymdeithasol i Lywodraeth Cymru, ac yn ddiweddarach bu’n bennaeth swyddfa wleidyddol y Prif Weinidog.
Daeth Mark yn Aelod Cynulliad dros Orllewin Caerdydd ym mis Mai 2011. Rhwng Gorffennaf 2011 a Mawrth 2013, roedd yn Gadeirydd Pwyllgor Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol yn y Cynulliad, hyd nes iddo gael ei benodi’n Weinidog dros Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ym mis Mawrth 2013. Wedi hynny, daeth yn Weinidog dros Gyllid a Llywodraeth Leol, cyn iddo gael ei benodi’n Brif Weinidog Cymru. Roedd yn Brif Weinidog yn ystod pandemig y coronafeirws a’r argyfwng costau byw. Rhoddodd y gorau i’r swydd ym mis Mawrth 2024.
Gwybodaeth am Dr Rhys Morgan
Dr Rhys Morgan yw arweinydd strategol yr Academi Beirianneg Frenhinol ym maes addysg beirianneg, sgiliau, a chynhwysiant. Mae’n arwain ar waith datblygu gweithgarwch ymchwil, polisïau a rhaglenni’r Academi.
Mae ei bortffolio o waith yn cynnwys dadansoddi sgiliau peirianneg yn y DU, yn ogystal â’r gallu sydd gan addysg beirianneg yn y DU i greu gweithlu’r dyfodol. Mae’n rhan o sawl tasglu sgiliau’r Llywodraeth gan gynnwys ym meysydd niwclear, cwantwm a thrafnidiaeth, ac yn cynghori ar y pynciau hyn.
Mae wedi arwain sawl gweithgaredd o bwys, gan gynnwys comisiwn Syr Lewis Hamilton, y gyrrwr Fformiwla 1 buddugol, at ddiben gwella cynrychiolaeth pobl Ddu mewn chwaraeon moduro yn y DU, ymchwil i gyflwr addysg ym meysydd STEM yn y DU, ynghyd ag addysgeg i gyflwyno peirianneg mewn ysgolion, colegau a phrifysgolion. Mae Rhys hefyd yn cynghori ar waith ymgysylltu ehangach yr Academi â’r proffesiwn peirianneg, ac yn eu plith mae’r 40 Sefydliad Peirianneg Proffesiynol, y Cyngor Peirianneg, ac EngineeringUK.