Listen to Thursday night’s IWA Debate on the future of student tuition fees in Wales
The decision to limit the cost of University tuition fees to students from Wales to £3,685, while students from England are charged £9,000, has been a useful illustration of the impact of devolution. But there are huge question marks over the sustainability of the policy, even if it was thought desirable to maintain it.
In the first of a new events series, The IWA Debates, sponsored by Aberystwyth University, the issue was debated by a distinguished panel of speakers. Prof Nick Barr from the London School of Economics and Prof Teresa Rees (Chair of previous independent inquiry into fees for WG) argued that fees are needed to fund the sector, whilst Plaid Cymru Education spokesman Simon Thomas and the Director of NUS Wales, Hannah Pudner called for a re-think.
You can listen to the opening statements, beginning with Prof Nick Barr here:
The Welsh Government has appointed Sir Ian Diamond, vice-chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, to lead a review into student finance in Wales. After the opening statements the audience and the panel discussed the recommendations they’d like to see emerging:
The IWA Debates series will focus on important areas of debates where there is no clear consensus, but will prove tricky for each of the party’s as they begin to craft their manifestos for the 2016 Assembly elections.erystwyth University and will be followed by a networking reception.
