Kirsty Williams, Cabinet Secretary for Education
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
Earlier this year, I published a technical consultation document “Public Good and a Prosperous Wales – the next steps” and I am today publishing a summary of the responses to the consultation.
https://beta.gov.wales/tertiary-education-and-research-commission-wales
The technical consultation took account of the feedback received from the earlier White Paper published in 2017 and explained in more detail how we envisaged the new Commission might operate. The consultation closed on 17 July; a total of 422 written responses were received.
During the consultation period a number of themed focus groups were also held with selected stakeholders. They each covered a particular section of the technical consultation and stakeholders with a particular interest in these areas were invited to attend.
I would like to thank all those who contributed to the consultation for their views and helping to shape the next stage of our proposals. I was pleased to see that the responses remain broadly supportive of the principles, and there were also refinements of some areas of thinking suggested. That thinking is being taken fully into account as the policy develops during the legislative process.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Miller Research Ltd, who facilitated the stakeholder focus groups, and provided this detailed analysis of the written responses.
My commitment to bring forward legislation within this Assembly term remains firm and we will continue to engage with stakeholders going forward to ensure the new Commission will be able to work effectively in the national interest and for all learners.