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Higher Education Review

Is this devolved to Wales?

Where is this happening?

What's happening?

Why is this happening?

Who has been affected?

What's happening?

Why is this happening?

Who has been affected?

Full-time enrolements, Welsh higher education institutions by level of study (source)

Total number of staff, higher education institutions (source)

Full-time undergraduate enrolements by Welsh-domiciled students by country of institution (source)

Number of higher education enrolements where at least 120 course credits were studied in the medium of Welsh (source)

£ 1.98 billion Total Income (2024-25)

1.04 billion raised from tuition fees (source: Medr)

Who has raised this at the Senedd?

Cefin Campbell MS

Deputy Minister for Skills

Sera Evans MS

Chair: Education & Young People

Kiera Marshall MS

Backbencher

Ben McKenna MS

Backbencher

Steven Senior MS

Backbencher

Vikki Howells MS

Senedd Commissioner

Lynne Neagle MS

Labour Whip

Sam Rowlands MS

Chair: Finance

Cefin Campbell MS

Deputy Minister for Skills

Sera Evans MS

Chair: Education & Young People

Kiera Marshall MS

Backbencher

Ben McKenna MS

Backbencher

Steven Senior MS

Backbencher

Vikki Howells MS

Senedd Commissioner

Lynne Neagle MS

Labour Whip

Sam Rowlands MS

Chair: Finance

What are the party positions on this?

Plaid Cymru backbenchers have shown support for the review, particularly opportunities to support university-level vocational education (degree apprenticeships).

One of the issues that we have faced for some time now is the employability of graduates and, specifically, how we ensure that the skills and opportunities that are developed through our higher education system lead to successful careers in Wales. I believe that this review will bring those aspects together.

We must have more ambition in providing opportunities to communities that need it most, and at the same time tackling the widening inequality that's happening across the UK. What will this review do to support widening participation across higher education? I think one way we'll agree that we could do this is through degree apprenticeships, but the pathways and the general awareness of degree apprenticeships haven't helped close this gap as of yet. So, how could this review look at furthering the use of degree apprenticeships to help close the widening participation gaps?

Reform UK support the principle of the review, but have questioned the value of university education and the quality of Welsh higher education institutions.

When we look at the average earnings for university graduates after five years of graduating from their course, they were, in 2023-24, £31,500 for graduates from Welsh institutions. That compares to £33,000 from English institutions and £35,100 from Scottish ones. So, when we're asking the question about why should students choose universities in Wales, we also need to address the employability, the reward for that employment and the return on their investment into their education that they get when moving forward into Wales.

We've had well-rehearsed arguments about PISA results at secondary level, but at a higher education level, I'll point to some evidence from around the world. We know that, for example, in terms of the top 100 universities, we have between nine and 14 from England, two in Scotland, with one just outside of the top 100, but alas none in Wales, and none close to being in the top 100 in Wales. Our top university comes in just above 200.

Labour have concerns about some aspects of the review, particularly changes to the Seren programme and potential changes to student finance.

We on these benches have always viewed Seren as a learner-focused programme designed to ensure that our young people can be the very best that they can be. I want to offer you a gentle warning that we will fight very hard on these benches to protect that aspect of Seren, and I want to ask you whether it is your intention, as part of the work that you're doing on Seren, or as part of this review, to try in any way to discourage young people from studying, whether it's over the border or wherever they want to go, to achieve their education and be the very best that they can be.

In our manifesto for the Senedd election….we included a plan to decouple our plan 2 loans from the English system so that Wales can set fair and affordable interest rates, ensuring all young people who may wish to go to university do not feel cost is a barrier. That's also why when I held your position I rejected the freezing of the repayment threshold, ensuring graduates on lower incomes were not drawn into repayments at a time when they might not be able to afford it.

The Conservatives support the principle of the review, but believe it’s “too little, too late”.

Deputy Minister, in your terms of reference, you state that the scale and urgency of pressures on universities mean that the underlying funding sustainability of Welsh universities and the Welsh student support system must now be addressed. There's a real sense of urgency in your statements there, but the timeline that you're looking at is looking to make changes in the 2028-29 academic year. That's two years away. It doesn't really feel that urgent, quite frankly.

Green MSs haven’t said anything on this yet.

Test Test Test

Jane Dodds hasn’t said anything on this specifically.

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Who is responsible?

Cefin Campbell MS

Deputy Minister for Skills

What have ministers said?

The Welsh sector reported a collective underlying deficit of £82 million in 2024-25....Total student enrolments at our universities declined by 11 per cent between 2022-23 and 2024-25. International enrolments also fell by around a third during that period, while enrolments of Welsh-domiciled students fell by 8 per cent.

The review will take a comprehensive view of the higher education system. It will examine student support, institutional funding, research and innovation, participation, graduate outcomes, and the organisation and resilience of the sector in Wales. But it will not limit itself to traditional full-time undergraduate study; it will also consider part-time provision, higher education delivered through colleges at level 4 and level 5 study, higher and degree apprenticeships, and postgraduate education.

The work of this review will not be easy. Difficult choices and trade-offs will need to be considered, and recommendations must be both ambitious and realistic. They will need to operate within the financial constraints facing Welsh Government and the wider public sector....It starts from a position of confidence in what higher education can and does contribute to Wales, whilst recognising that the status quo is not sustainable.

What's being done about this?

What do the Welsh Government want to do?

Does this need a new law or regulations?

How long will this take?

What do the Welsh Government want to do?

Does this need a new law or regulations?

How long will this take?

What have the Senedd's Committees said?

Nothing has been discussed yet.

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