University education at Wales' oldest campus ends

University education at the oldest campus in Wales is to end with humanities courses being moved from Lampeter to Carmarthen.

Students learned of the decision just days after more than 100 students and alumni took their campaign to save the institution to the Senedd.

Escape to the Country host Jules Hudson was among graduates who went to Cardiff to take part in a four-hour protest on Tuesday.

Lampeter residents and councillors also made the trip to save the former University of Wales, Lampeter.

Students face moving in September to a Carmarthen campus under plans by the University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD), which it is part of.

This would end more than 200 years of academia in the town after the university was founded in 1822.

A petition to save to save university attracted almost 6,000 signatures.

On Thursday a letter from UWTSD boss, Peter Mannion, was sent to students.

It said the university had spoken to staff, students and others about plans announced on 11 November last year to relocate.

"The university has now concluded its decision-making process and approved the proposal to relocate its humanities provision from Lampeter to Carmarthen," the missive said.

"The preparation and practical considerations for this forthcoming change will be communicated with you over the next few weeks."

The Lampeter campus, it said, was important to the university.

"We will shortly be establishing a mechanism by which we can involve stakeholders in proposing a range of economically viable, education-related activities that would bring a new, sustainable lease of life to the campus," the letter said.

The University of Wales Trinity St David published the same statement.

Campaigners from the Lampeter Society said they were disappointed by the news and saddened for students at Lampeter.

The group had hoped a "better solution" would be found.

It would now continue working for a "positive, strong and renewed future for the Lampeter campus".

"We remain ready to work with the management of the university and wider stakeholders to that end," the society's Esther Weller said.

Ceredigion Preseli MP, Ben Lake, called the decision "a heavy blow to the town".

The change would, he said, affect the town and its people.

"The University of Wales Trinity Saint David has a duty to explain how they intend to secure a future for the campus," Lake said.

"The community deserves clear answers and a real commitment to keeping higher education in Lampeter."

The university insists there's a sustainable future for its Lampeter campus, even after the students have moved.

Staff, local politicians and many in the town are unlikely to be reassured until there's more detail about what that will look like.

Some argue the site's been allowed to go into decline over many years, but the decision to end undergraduate teaching there comes at a time when the whole university sector's under financial strain.

In other parts of Wales too there are concerns about the impact of university cuts on communities.