7. United Kingdom Independence Party Debate: University Finance

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:06 pm on 6 June 2018.

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Photo of Kirsty Williams Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrat 5:06, 6 June 2018

Well, of course, those signing up to receive a Welsh NHS Government bursary do indeed sign up to a commitment to work in the Welsh NHS, and I am looking to expand that, for instance, with regard to training places for educational psychologists, which we fund. And I would point out, Darren, I'm not about to take any lectures from a Conservative politician about nurse bursaries when we have seen the devastation of nurse education across the border because of your Government's abolition of the nurse bursary system. [Interruption.]

Now, if I could make progress, Presiding Officer. If I could make some progress.

We have also published 'Public Good and a Prosperous Wales—the next steps,' outlining in more detail our proposals for the structure and operation of the new tertiary education and research commission for Wales. This approach is significantly different from that taken by the UK Government for English students. In England, there are no maintenance grants, less overall support is available, and students from the poorest backgrounds are left with the highest level of debt. Not here in Wales.

However, ensuring stability and sustainability for higher education students and institutions is only one part of our national mission of reform to marry equity with excellence in our education system. Our employability plan takes actions in four distinct themes, providing an individualised approach to employment support, underlining the responsibility of employers to support staff, closing the skills gap and preparing for a radically changing labour market.

Individualised support gives advisers the autonomy and the flexibility to address the needs, strengths and ambitions of persons preparing for employment. We will work with universities, colleges, schools and Careers Wales to identify how they can encourage learners to undertake courses that would be of benefit to them and of benefit to the Welsh economy. And we will also explore how we can retain students who are trained in Wales to remain in Wales, or encourage those who train elsewhere to return.

It is important that, prior to undertaking academic or vocational courses, students are aware of the job opportunities and the earning potential at the end of their course. And, again, I am somewhat alarmed that the UKIP spokesperson seems to be blissfully unaware of the longitudinal education outcomes data. In fact, Presiding Officer, I'll send her the link so she can see that data for herself.

Welsh higher and further education has an enormous amount to be proud of and we should take every opportunity to recognise and celebrate success when we see it. The challenges now facing the higher education sector in Wales and indeed, in the rest of the UK, are perhaps the most significant in history. We believe that a planned collaborative approach to higher education is more appropriate to address the social and economic challenges we face in Wales; that's more effective in building on existing institutional strengths and more equitable in delivering outcomes for students and for Welsh society.

Darren, I can confirm that we have made additional resources available to HEFCW to invest and develop higher level apprenticeships, especially in the field of ICT, computing and engineering.

To sum up, Presiding Officer, as a Government, we have a comprehensive, inclusive, innovative vision for the future of higher and further education in Wales that encompasses strengthening the structure, delivery and quality of HE and FE provision; improving our research base and our research capacity; improving leadership and governance at institutional and national levels; a new funding and student support arrangement consistent with our planned approach to provision; and creating a more learner-focused HE and FE sector that meets the needs and the expectations of students and enhances their future employability. I would like to finish by welcoming the UK Government's review of post-18 education, and I would invite the review panel to consider the progressive, the fair and the sustainable approach that we have adopted here in Wales.