The Assembly’s Enterprise and Learning Committee has published a timely report today looking at the economic impact of higher education. The report appears just as the Government’s budget delivered savage cuts to Higher Education, chopping 5% off the funding for the entire Higher and Further Education Sectors.
The Committee found that the huge potential for Higher Education Institutions to improve the Welsh Economy is not being met and calls on the Labour-Plaid Government to “prioritise investment in them accordingly.”
Commenting, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Education and the Economy, Jenny Randerson said: “This report shows the budget for the disgrace it is. If we are going to put right the precarious position and fundamental weakness of our economy, Higher Education has a huge part to play.
“The conclusions of this report are very clear in that HE should be protected and enhanced and yet just two days ago, we had a budget that ripped millions from its budget. If this is the measure of Labour and Plaid Cymru’s view of higher education, we are going to end up with second class universities and therefore continue to have a second class economy.
“As well as slashing the education budget, the Government is also cutting swathes from the Economic Development department. It is almost hard to believe that the two key drivers of economic development help for businesses and up-skilling the workforce, are being targeted in a recession.”
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