of Arms in 1988 following the merger of University College Cardiff and the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology. The coat of arms incorporates features from the heraldry of both former institutions. The three chevrons are derived from the arms of the de Clare lords of Glamorgan. The open book signifies learning; on it are the crescent and annulet, marks of cadence that indicate that University College Cardiff was the second of the University of Wales' institutions, and that the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology was the fifth.
A notable feature of the arms are the supporters, which in heraldry are rarely granted to universities. The supporters are an angel from University College Cardiff and a Welsh Dragon from the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology. The crest is a Welsh dragon in the stance of a lion; it stands on the helmet. Both the dragon and the helmet are distinguished by being front-facing rather than in profile as is more usually found in Welsh heraldry.
== Notable alumni and academics ==
=== Heads of state and government ===
Barham Salih, President of Iraq, former prime minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and former deputy prime minister of the Iraqi federal government
Faisal Al-Fayez, Prime Minister of Jordan
Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales
Vaughan Gething, First Minister of Wales
=== Politics ===
Lord Jenkins, former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary, President of the European Commission and Chancellor of the University of Oxford (did not graduate)
Rhun ap Iorwerth, MS and leader of Plaid Cymru
David Bahati, State Minister of Finance for Planning in the Cabinet of Uganda
Jeffrey Cuthbert, Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner, MS for Caerphilly and Welsh Government Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty
Wayne David, MP for Caerphilly and UK Shadow Minister for Europe, Shadow Minister for Defence Procurement and Shadow Minister for the Armed Forces
Elin Jones, MS for Ceredigion, Llywydd of the Senedd and former …
