Meetings

FIN(4)-07-14(paper 1)

2.1 The Committee considered and subject to a few minor changes, agreed the draft report.

FIN(4)-05-14 (paper 4)

7.1 The Committee considered the key issues. The Clerks will prepare a draft report for consideration after the Easter recess.

4.1 The Committee received a briefing from the Wales Audit Office on the Higher Education Finances report which was published on 21 November 2013.

4.2 The Committee agreed to write to the Welsh Government seeking a response to the WAO report. It also agreed to return to this issue once further work is completed later this year.

5.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received on the inquiry and asked the clerks to obtain additonal information on:

·       Student loan book

·       Number of AAB/ABB students enrolling at Welsh universities

·       Write to the Chief Scientific Adviser regarding funding for research

FIN(4)-22-13 Paper 1

Huw Lewis AM, Minister for Education and Skills

Neil Surman, Deputy Director, Higher Education

Chris Jones, Head of Higher Education Finance and Performance Improvement

2.1 The Committee took evidence from the Minister for Education and Skills on higher education funding.

FIN(4)-21-13 (paper 1)

FIN(4)-21-13 (paper 2)

Professor John Hughes, Vice-Chancellor, Bangor University

Amanda Wilkinson, Director of Higher Education Wales

Ben Arnold, Policy Adviser, Higher Education Wales

Dr David Blaney, Chief Executive, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW)

Bethan Owen, Director of Institutional Engagement, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW)

Celia Hunt, Director of Skills, Education and Funding, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW)

2.1 The Committee took evidence from Professor John Hughes, Vice-Chancellor, Bangor University, Amanda Wilkinson, Director of Higher Education Wales, Ben Arnold, Policy Adviser, Higher Education Wales, 

Dr David Blaney, Chief Executive, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), Bethan Owen, Director of Institutional Engagement, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and Celia Hunt, Director of Skills, Education and Funding, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) on higher education funding.

Action Points:

2.1 Higher Education Wales agreed to send additional information on:

·       Data on regional comparisons

·       The number of AAB or better students studying at Bangor University

·       Number of decline of students studying through the medium of Welsh

·       Data on VFM of students studying in Wales

2.2 HEFCW agreed to send additional information on:

·       The trends of Welsh students studying in England (when available)

·       Number of students studying through the medium of Welsh

FIN(4)-21-13 (paper 3)

Stephanie Lloyd, NUS Wales President

Keiron Rees, Policy and Public Affairs Officer, NUS Wales

3.1 The Committee took evidence from Stephanie Lloyd, NUS Wales President and Keiron Rees, Policy and Public Affairs Officer, NUS Wales on higher education funding.

Action Points:

2.1 NUS Wales agreed to send additional information on analysis of forthcoming research on student support when available in the new year

6.1 The Committee considered the evidence received on the inquiry into higher education funding.

8.1 The Committee considered the evidence received on the inquiry into higher education funding.

FIN(4)-20-13 (paper 6)

Rob Humphreys, Director, The Open University in Wales

Michelle Matheron, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, The Open University in Wales

5.1 The Committee took evidence from Rob Humphreys, Director, The Open University in Wales and Michelle Matheron, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, The Open University in Wales on higher education funding.

5.2 Rob Humphreys agreed to send a note to Committee with details of young people between the ages of 18 – 25 who are currently accessing OU courses.

FIN(4)-20-13 (paper 4)

FIN(4)-20-13 (paper 5)

Professor Patricia Price, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Student Experience and Academic Standards, Cardiff University

Mike Davies, Director of Finance, Cardiff University

Professor Michael Scott, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Glyndŵr University

Paul Whiting – Director of Finance, Glyndŵr University

Andrew Parry – Head of Corporate Communications, Glyndŵr University

4.1 The Committee took evidence from Professor Patricia Price, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Student Experience and Academic Standards, Cardiff University, Mike Davies, Director of Finance, Cardiff University, Professor Michael Scott, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Glyndŵr University, Paul Whiting, Director of Finance, Glyndŵr University and Andrew Parry, Head of Corporate Communications, Glyndŵr University on higher education funding.

FIN(4)-16-13 Paper 3

5.1 The Committee considered the paper and agreed the proposed schedule of witnesses with the addition of the Chief Scientific Adviser.

2.1 The Committee noted the paper.

Dr David Blaney, Chief Executive, HEFCW

Celia Hunt, Head of Skills, Education and Funding, HEFCW

Bethan Owen, Head of Institutional Engagement, HEFCW

5.1 Representatives from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) provided the Committee with an overview of how Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Wales are funded.

5.2 HEFCW agreed to provide the following:

A note on EU funding for research and innovation channelled through HEIs in Wales.

FIN(4)-10-13 Paper 3

Leighton Andrews AM, Minister for Education and Skills

Carla Lyne, Deputy Director of Finance and Corporate Services

3.1 The Chair welcomed Leighton Andrews AM, Minister for Education and Skills and Carla Lyne, Deputy Director of Finance Corporate Services.

3.2 The Minister and official responded to questions Members of the Committee.

3.3 The Minister agreed to provide the Committee with the following information:

·         A note on the changes that the Minister may make to the conditions of funding to FEIs.

·         Percentage of funding for FEIs that comes from the Welsh Government.

3.4 The clerking team agreed to provide members with the transcript of the Children and Young People Committee session on the Further and Higher Education (Governance and Information) (Wales) Bill on 15 May.

3.5 The Clerk agreed to draft a letter to the Children and Young People Committee setting out the Committee’s reservations about ‘non-legislative controls’.

7.1 The Committee considered the draft Terms of Reference on its forthcoming inquiry into Higher Education Funding and discussed methods of handling the inquiry.

4.1 The Committee discussed the scope of a potential inquiry into Higher Education in Wales and agreed to consider an options paper at a forthcoming meeting.