WALES: Universities face up to 'challenging' cuts

Universities in South Wales are coming to terms with a "challenging" funding settlement which has seen their public cash cut, writes Gareth Evans for South Wales Echo.

Cardiff, Glamorgan and the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff will be forced to work through the next academic year on tighter budgets as sector cuts continue. Swansea Metropolitan University is the only campus-based institution to receive a rise from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales in its 2011-12 allocation. Glyndwr, Bangor, Glamorgan, Trinity Saint David and the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff have all suffered hits of more than 7%.

Overall, university funding has gone down from £352 million in 2010-11 to £334 million in 2011-12, though the funding council has increased its focus on Assembly-led priority areas. The council has put aside more funding for universities committed to widening access and has placed a bigger premium on recruiting students from Communities First areas.
Full report on the Wales Online site