THE WELSH GOVERNMENT is consulting on plans to provide funding for Welsh Postgraduate students.
The move comes after the UK Government appeared to catch Welsh Ministers on the hop by announcing its own plans to fund postgraduate students via student loans in November’s budget statement.
The UK Government scheme will begin in September 2016, whereas the Welsh Government consultation aims to deliver some postgraduate funding beginning the academic year 2017/18.
The anomalous situation will exist in the next academic year, therefore, that Welsh students studying at postgraduate level in Welsh Universities (or elsewhere) will be self-financing, while English students studying in Wales will have access to student loan support.
The consultation proposes Welsh postgraduate students will have access to student loans to finance their studies.
A separate part of the same consultation, the Welsh Government is proposing to permit students who already have an undergraduate degree to receive financial support if they enrol on a further part-time undergraduate degree to study a so-called STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) and some computer science subjects.
The decision of the Welsh Government to only begin consultation now, effectively ensuring no decisions on future student finance provision are made before May’s Assembly elections and has drawn inevitable criticism.
Aled Roberts, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Minister, said: “Only the Welsh Liberal Democrats have a clear plan to solve the Welsh university funding crisis in a way that’s fair to students. This is an urgent crisis that must be addressed as Labour’s current system is unsustainable.
“The Welsh Liberal Democrats would introduce a Living Costs Grant as we recognise that it is living costs, not fees, which are the biggest barrier to people going to university.
“It is absolutely right that students from Wales currently have the freedom to study at the university they choose, whether that is in Wales or another part of the UK. To ensure this is still possible, Wales needs to adopt an inclusive and flexible stance to higher education funding and finance.
“Welsh Liberal Democrats are being honest and open with the students of Wales about how we can help them through university. It’s just a shame that the Labour party won’t tell people what their plans are for higher education funding before the elections in 2016.”
Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Education Minister, Mid and West AM Simon Thomas told The Herald: “The Labour Government in Cardiff Bay seems to be reacting to policy changes over the border with these proposals, rather than making its own long-term plans.
“The Party of Wales agrees that postgraduate students need more support and this is supported by the interim findings of the Diamond review. Employers are increasingly calling for graduates with postgraduate qualifications and these higher-level skills can increase social mobility and benefit the economy.”
Outlining what Plaid Cymru plans, Mr Thomas told us: “A Plaid Cymru Welsh Government will support postgraduate study through a new postgraduate fund for loans to Welsh domiciled students. These loans will be income contingent long-term loans at preferential interest rates.”
Criticising the Welsh Government directly, Simon Thomas continued: “Part of the reason there is so little support in place for postgraduates is the Welsh Government’s insistence on sticking to its unsustainable and unaffordable Tuition Fee Grant policy.
“Cuts have been made both to the higher and further education budgets to pay for this expensive policy, including cuts to the Higher Education Funding Council. As a result, HEFCW has cut the support available to postgraduate students.
“While the proposals put forward in this consultation seek to address one gap in student support, it does not address the long-term damage caused to our universities and colleges through under-funding.”
The Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire candidate concluded: “The proposals to provide graduates with support to study for a second undergraduate degree in STEM subjects helps a particular group of students to re-train and to change their career pathways. However, cuts have been made to part-time courses both in FE and HE: such courses provide adults who work or have caring responsibilities, disproportionately women and older students, with vital opportunities to up-skill and re-train.”
Speaking to The Herald: Welsh Conservative education spokesperson Angela Burns said: “I welcome Welsh Government’s long-overdue decision to finally follow UK Government’s lead and replicate a postgraduate loan policy here in Wales.
“As the Welsh economy and that of the rest of world grows in competitiveness, so too must the level of skills held by our future graduates and those already in the workforce. In many cases, this means taking on postgraduate study or part-time study. Access to postgraduate support can also help drive social mobility, something that UK Government already recognises and that which a Welsh Conservative government would implement here in Wales.”
Addressing the delay in the Welsh Government moving forward with proposals for postgraduate funding, Mrs Burns told us: “We regret that Welsh Government have been slow to address the issue of financial assistance for postgraduate students ordinarily domiciled in Wales.
“Although Wales sees more people per 1,000 of its population pursue postgraduate study than the UK average, many are still missing out on the opportunity to up-skill because of cost. This has a negative impact on both social mobility and the need to foster- and develop a highskilled workforce to boost the Welsh economy. This pertains to part-time study too, given that a number within the workforce want to develop skills but cannot afford to leave their current jobs to do so.”
The Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire AM sounded a cautionary note about words being converted into action: “We are pleased that Welsh Government are finally following UK Government’s lead and seeking to address the issue here in Wales. But if Welsh Government’s track record on acting upon consultation follows the same trend, we must not hold our breath and expect action any time soon.”
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