Written Statement - Higher Education Reconfiguration in South East Wales

There have been a number of recent press reports and comments about the Welsh Government’s present consultation on proposals to merge Cardiff Metropolitan, the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport, to create a new higher education corporation serving the whole of South East Wales.

I shall be making a full statement to the National Assembly on 23 October about the consultation exercise. In the interim, Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice Chancellor of the University of Exeter, has written to me to clarify the content and terms of the meeting earlier this year in which he and a senior official present discussed the proposals for merger with the Chair and Vice Chancellor of Cardiff Metropolitan. I attach a copy of Professor Smith’s letter for Members’ information.