Welsh universities appeal for no more sudden policy changes
Universities in Wales have appealed for an end to sudden changes of government policies that have cut their incomes and made it difficult for them to plan.Appearing before MPs, vice-chancellors said a failure, until recently, to raise student fees for inflation, a rise in employers' National Insurance contributions and visa rule changes reducing the numbers of overseas students had all had an impact. Restructuring plans, including university-wide voluntary redundancies schemes, have been announced by Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Cardiff Metropolitan, Swansea, and the University of South Wales.More limited plans have also been announced by University of Wales: Trinity Saint David.
Earlier on Wednesday, a trade union urged the Welsh government to decide what it wanted from higher education and "properly" fund the sector to fulfil those requirements.Aberystwyth vice-chancellor Prof Jon Timmis told the Welsh Affairs Committee at Westminster that there was now a need for a "stable policy landscape" to make it easier to plan for the future.He said a "fit for purpose mechanism" was needed to put higher education in the UK on a sustainable footing.
Prof Edmund Burke said Bangor University had "no choice" but to make savings to "ensure the financial stability of the institution".The university's executive board would meet on Thursday to start making decisions on its restructuring, he told the committee. It would do everything possible to avoid compulsory redundancies, he said, but was unable to completely rule them out.Prof Burke also warned MPs that universities "couldn't go another decade" without student fees rising in line with inflation and institutions should work with the UK and Welsh governments to "determine a sustainable financial footing" for higher education.Cardiff University's vice-chancellor Prof Wendy Larner said the sector was having to "reinvent itself" and would have to find "new revenue streams".She said she recognised that "governments are challenged" financially but that she was optimistic about the future of the university sector. The head of the body which funds and regulates universities in Wales warned last month that they face "massive" financial challenges but said that none were at risk of going bust in the next year.Medr chief executive Simon Pirotte said the eight institutions reached a total deficit of £77m for 2023-24, compared to a £21m surplus the previous year.
Earlier on Wednesday, higher education unions told members of a Senedd committee that some universities had responded to the financial challenges facing the sector better than others.The University and College Union's Gareth Lloyd was critical of Cardiff University when asked about the vice-chancellor's defence of its approach in evidence to a previous committee meeting."I don't accept that Cardiff did the right thing," he told the Welsh Parliament's education committee."The danger is if we're not careful is this could have a really detrimental effect on students who [now] don't want to go there and that really really worries me," he added.Unison official Dan Beard claimed senior leaders in other universities were "aghast" at the way Cardiff had handled its proposals to cut jobs and courses.However Jamie Insole, from the UCU, said Wrexham University was "in a firm situation" and Aberystwyth University has displayed "how a university can weather a financial storm" by working closely with staff.Later Deio Owen, NUS Cymru president, told the committee: "There has been an impact on students and learners mental wellbeing due to proposed cut and the confirmed cuts that we've heard in the past few months.""That uncertainty does have a knock on effect," he added."You're paying for a service which you're not sure you're going to get."
'Catastrophic'
In a paper for the education committee, Unison warned Senedd members that hundreds of expected job losses at universities across Wales would have a "catastrophic effect on staff, institutions, students, communities and the Welsh economy".In the document the union urged the Welsh government to decide what it wanted from higher education and "properly" fund the sector to fulfil those requirements.Welsh ministers "must produce a detailed industrial strategy which outlines the skills and number of graduates Wales requires for the future across a range of jobs and ensure universities have the capacity to train these young people", Unison said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Households urged to send in meter readings ahead of energy price cap drop
Households have been urged to send in meter readings ahead of the energy price cap falling by 7% on Tuesday. The typical household bill for those who have still not signed up to a fixed tariff will drop by £129 to £1,720 per year when the regulator's new price cap – which sets the limit on how much firms can charge customers per unit of energy – comes into force. This is £660 (28%) lower than at the height of the energy crisis at the start of 2023 when the government implemented the energy price guarantee. However, prices remain elevated with the upcoming level £152 (10%) higher than the same period last year. The price cap does not limit total bills because householders still pay for the amount of energy they consume. While around 35% of domestic customers are now signed up to a fixed deal that they have actively sought out – and which is not governed by the price cap – approximately 22 million households in England, Wales, and Scotland are still on the energy price cap. It is these households that should read their meter by the end of the month to make sure they benefit fully from lower energy prices from July 1. Failing to do so leaves the risk of paying the higher pre-July 1 rate for energy used in the form of estimated bills. Research for the comparison site Uswitch suggests that a fifth of households (20%) without smart meters have not submitted their meter readings in the last three months, and 6% have not done so for a whole year. Uswitch calculated that homes on a standard price cap tariff with average usage are expected to spend £63 on energy in July compared with £113 in June, due to a combination of cheaper unit rates and lower usage over the summer. It urged households to sign up to a fixed deal while prices remain competitive, and said there were 10 fixed deals available which were cheaper than the July price cap – the cheapest offering savings of around £145 for the average household. Uswitch energy spokesman Ben Gallizzi said: 'Customers who don't have a smart meter should submit their readings before or on Tuesday 1 July, so their supplier has an updated – and accurate – view of their account. 'There's a lot of uncertainty about global energy costs at the moment, which has led industry experts to predict a rise in energy bills and in the price cap this autumn. 'But households can get ahead of this possible price hike by fixing at cheaper rates now. Currently, there are a range of fixed deals currently available that are around £145 cheaper than the July price cap for the average household. 'If you can switch to a deal cheaper than the July price cap, now is a good time to make the change. We urge customers to run an energy comparison as soon as possible.' Ofgem has also reminded households that they do not have to pay the price cap, saying 'there are better deals out there'. The fall in energy costs will come as a relief for households, who suffered through an 'awful April' of bill rises, including Ofgem's last 6.4% price cap increase. Under-pressure households have also been hit with the biggest increase to water bills since at least February 1988, alongside steep rises across bills for council tax, mobile and broadband tariffs, as well as road tax.
North Wales Chronicle
4 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Women's Euros forecast to boost UK economy with pubs hoping to serve more pints
Pubs being allowed to stay open later if England or Wales reach the final stages could also reel in more customers. The Uefa Women's Euro 2025 tournament kicks off in Switzerland on July 2, with England's Lionesses and Wales playing their first matches on Saturday July 5. Pubs are hoping to pull an additional 2.6 million extra pints during the tournament, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) found, based on an estimated increase in pub beer sales during matches compared with the annual daily average. The BBPA, whose members brew 90% of British beer and own nearly half of UK pubs, said this could deliver a £13 million boost to the economy. Furthermore, pubs could be allowed to stay open beyond their usual closing time if either of the two countries reach the semi-finals or final of the Euros, which will take place towards the end of July. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said: 'The pub has forever been regarded as a home away from home, especially for sports fans, so it's no surprise that fans will be flocking to the pub to cheer on our brilliant teams.' However, Ms McClarkin renewed calls for the Government to 'level the playing field and reduce beer duty', with England and Wales paying the fourth-highest tax rate compared with other nations competing in the tournament, she said. Alcohol duty is paid by manufacturers when they make their products, and the duty is generally then passed on to consumers through prices. Duty on draught pints was cut by 1.7% earlier in the year – meaning a penny off a pint in the pub.
South Wales Guardian
5 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Women's Euros forecast to boost UK economy with pubs hoping to serve more pints
Pubs being allowed to stay open later if England or Wales reach the final stages could also reel in more customers. The Uefa Women's Euro 2025 tournament kicks off in Switzerland on July 2, with England's Lionesses and Wales playing their first matches on Saturday July 5. Pubs are hoping to pull an additional 2.6 million extra pints during the tournament, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) found, based on an estimated increase in pub beer sales during matches compared with the annual daily average. The BBPA, whose members brew 90% of British beer and own nearly half of UK pubs, said this could deliver a £13 million boost to the economy. Furthermore, pubs could be allowed to stay open beyond their usual closing time if either of the two countries reach the semi-finals or final of the Euros, which will take place towards the end of July. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said: 'The pub has forever been regarded as a home away from home, especially for sports fans, so it's no surprise that fans will be flocking to the pub to cheer on our brilliant teams.' However, Ms McClarkin renewed calls for the Government to 'level the playing field and reduce beer duty', with England and Wales paying the fourth-highest tax rate compared with other nations competing in the tournament, she said. Alcohol duty is paid by manufacturers when they make their products, and the duty is generally then passed on to consumers through prices. Duty on draught pints was cut by 1.7% earlier in the year – meaning a penny off a pint in the pub.
