Issues facing the Higher Education Sector

The Children, Young People and Education Committee conducted a short piece of work looking at the challenges facing Welsh Universities including the proposed changes at Cardiff University.

Key Dates and Events

17 February 2025: The Committee wrote (PDF 245KB) to the University seeking information ahead of this session.

12 March: The Committee wrote to all other Welsh Universities seeking similar information, responses are published below:

21 March 2025: Cardiff University provided a response. (PDF 130KB)

21 May 2025: The Committee received a briefing from Medr.

23 May 2025: Cardiff University provided additional information. (PDF169KB)

12 June 2025: Professor Wendy Larner, President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University, attended the Committee to give evidence.

23 June 2025: Following the session Cardiff University provided some additional information (PDF 205KB) that was requested.

25 June 2025: UNISON, UCU, and NUS Cymru attended to give evidence. UNISON (PDF 228KB) and UCU (PDF 224KB) provided written evidence ahead of this session.

8 July 2025: The Committee wrote (PDF 105KB) to Cardiff University for some additional information following the evidence session. On the 8  September 2025 the Committee received a response (PDF 246KB).

8 July 2025: The Committee wrote (PDF 114KB) to the Higher Education Policy Institute outlining the challenges it had heard, with a view to hearing about the possible solutions to the issues currently faced by universities, in Wales.

Correspondence with other Welsh Universities:

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>>>Letter to Aberystwyth University - 12 March 2025 (PDF 93KB)

-       Response from Aberystwyth University – 9 April 2025 (PDF 228KB)

>>>Letter to Bangor University - 12 March 2025 (PDF 95KB)

-       Response from Bangor University – 11 April 2025 (PDF163KB)

>>>Letter to Cardiff Metropolitan University - 12 March 2025 (PDF 92KB)

-       Response from Cardiff Metropolitan University - 9 April 2025 (PDF 304KB)

>>>Letter to Open University Wales - 12 March 2025 (PDF 92KB)

-       Response from The Open University – 2 April 2025 (PDF 142KB)

>>>Letter to Swansea University - 12 March 2025 (PDF 92KB)

-       Response Swansea University - 9 April 2025 (PDF138KB)

>>>Letter to University of South Wales - 12 March 2025 (PDF 95KB)

-       Response from University of South Wales – 9 April 2025 (PDF 627KB)

>>>Letter to University of Wales Trinity St David - 12 March 2025 (PDF 93KB)

-       Response from University of Wales Trinity St David – 9 April 2025  (PDF 238KB)

>>>Letter to Wrexham University - 12 March 2025 (PDF 92KB)

-       Response from Wrexham University – 15 May 2025 (PDF 481KB)

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Additional related Correspondence

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>>>Letter to the Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee from the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee – 1 July 2025 (PDF 81KB)

>>>Letter to the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee from Chair of Council, Cardiff University – 16 June 2025 (PDF 169KB)

>>>Letter to the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee from the Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee at the Scottish Parliament – 4 June 2025 (PDF 373KB)

>>>Evidence from the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol - 12 May 2025 (PDF 157KB)

>>>Letter to the Chair of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee from the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee – 8 May 2025 (PDF 105KB)

>>>Letter to the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee from the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee – 7 May 2025 (PDF 104KB)

>>>Letter to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages from the Chair of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee – 1 May 2025 (PDF 134KB)

>>>Letter to the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee from the Chair of the Petitions Committee - 29 April 2025 (PDF 119KB)

>>>Letter to the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee from the Royal College of Nursing  - 25 April 2025 (PDF 863KB)

>>>Letter to the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee from Cytûn: Churches Together in Wales - 25 March 2025 (PDF 204KB)

>>>Information received from an Individual - February 2025 (PDF 65KB)

>>>Letter to the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee from the Campaign for Mathematical Sciences - 20 February 2025 (PDF 565KB)

>>>Letter to the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee from the President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University - 19 February 2025 (PDF 200KB)

>>>Letter to the President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University from the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee - 17 February 2025 (PDF 245KB)

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