Call for major review of Welsh higher education

There are calls for a major review of how universities in Wales are funded and structured.

Plaid Cymru has called for a "cross-party" to effort to look at how students are supported and how Welsh universities are structured.

It comes in the wake of a plan for major redundancies at Cardiff University, which is planning to cut 400 jobs.

The Welsh government said it "hugely values" the higher education sector.

While universities are autonomous, the Welsh government sets policies for tuition fees and student support.

Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru's education spokesman, said a wholesale review of Welsh university funding is "urgent and vital if we are to put the sector on a sustainable footing for the future".

He said recent information on university financial statements show t he sector reporting a deficit of around £70m, before taking into account rises in national insurance contributions.

"This is why a review of the sector is so important and why Plaid Cymru is urging the Welsh government to work cross party and with higher education to agree a sustainable future model."

"Students, their parents, lecturers and other university staff are waiting for us to act and nothing should be off the table."

On the BBC Politics Wales programme earlier in February, Campbell criticised the Seren scheme which helps sixth formers get into Russell Group universities, including Oxford and Cambridge.

Campbell called the scheme "ridiculous" and said it "actively encouraging students from Wales to study at universities in England".

He said he did not want to stop students from going across the border "but we need to retain the brightest talent".

The MS also suggesting changing maintenance grants supporting Welsh students in England. He said if it was "reformed" that could raise £35m for the sector in Wales.

A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We hugely value the higher education sector in Wales, it is vital to realising our social and economic ambitions.

"The minister for further and higher education regularly meets all vice-chancellors in Wales and has invited them to a roundtable meeting to discuss these issues, as part of her ongoing dialogue with the sector.

"Additionally, we are engaged with UK government on higher education reforms including how we fund our universities, governance and student support."