The University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (Welsh: Athrofa Prifysgol Cymru, Caerdydd, commonly abbreviated UWIC) is an institute of higher education situated in Cardiff. It operates from three campuses: Llandaff on Western Avenue, Cyncoed, and Howard Gardens in the City Centre. UWIC serves over 12,000 students. UWIC offers degree courses in a variety of disciplines. Study is available at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, full-time and part-time, and research opportunities are offered. UWIC has a number of research and enterprise centres, including the Food Industry Centre, the Welsh Centre for Tourism Research, and the National Centre for Product Design and Development Research. The University of Wales, the awarding institution for UWIC has found itself in serious controversy in mid 2011 due to funding irregularities from sone of it's east Asian partners, with a suggestion from the QAA that it should close if it cannot implement recommended changes. After the report by BBC Wales the Welsh Minister for Education, Leighton Andrews said "The university has brought the brand of Wales into disrepute and I think it has let higher education in Wales down and it has let Wales down.