Vacancy -- Members - Higher Education Funding Council for Wales

The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (“HEFCW” or “the Council”) is a Welsh Government sponsored body established in May 1992 under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 (“the 1992 Act”).

The Council is responsible for the funding of higher education in Wales and administers funds made available by the Welsh Government to support education, research and associated activities at universities in Wales and teaching by the Open University in Wales.  It also provides funds for prescribed higher education courses at further education colleges. HEFCW is also responsible for taking forward aspects of the delivery of student support.

The Council is also responsible for the funding of teacher training for school teachers and the accreditation of providers of initial teacher training in Wales. These responsibilities are covered under the Education (School Teachers’ Qualifications) (Wales) Regulations 2012 and the Education Act 2005.

The Council’s Annual Report 2011-12 and Corporate Plan 2013-14 to 2015-16, together with the Welsh Government’s Remit letter 2014-15 are available on HEFCW’s website www.hefcw.ac.uk. 

Council’s Role

The Council’s vision is to develop and sustain international excellent higher education in Wales, for the benefit of individuals, society and the economy in Wales and more widely.

The Council’s principal task currently is to distribute funds made available by the Welsh Government for the provision of education and the undertaking of research by higher education institutions (HEIs) in Wales.  In 2014-15, the budget for HEFCW is approximately £362 million. The grants made to the Council by the Welsh Government have terms and conditions attached to them, as set out in the Remit Letter for 2014-15. However, the Higher Education Bill currently before the National Assembly for Wales will change the Council’s role to a regulatory role, which in turn  will mean significant changes in the way in which the Council approaches its duties. This will mean developing alternative approaches to deliver Welsh Government priorities.

The Council provides expert advice and has specific responsibilities for quality assessment, with the Chief Executive fulfilling an Accounting Officer role for the use of funds made available by the Welsh Government. 

The student finance and higher education reforms announced in 2010 and the Welsh Government’s policy statement on higher education outlines a new vision for the future of higher education in Wales.  The Welsh Government will work in partnership with HE providers and HEFCW to deliver the shared ambition for a world-class higher education system in Wales that serves the interests of learners and the nation in the twenty-first century.

The HEFCW Corporate Strategy (2013-14 to 2015-16) sets out the key strategic themes that the Council need to consider over the next three years. The Council’s vision for the future is a sustainable, accessible and internationally excellent higher education in Wales.

The Council’s mission is to:

• secure an excellent quality higher education student experience and internationally excellent quality research;

• promote the contribution of higher education in Wales, the UK and internationally;

• enable higher education providers to deliver Welsh Government and UK priorities for higher education; and

• inform and shape Government policy to be relevant and appropriate for delivery by higher education providers;

in order to:

• enhance social justice; and

• support a buoyant economy.

Strategic Aims

The Council’s strategic aims in discharging its responsibilities are:

• WIDENING ACCESS –  secure inclusion, progression and success in higher education;

• STUDENT EXPERIENCE – secure excellent quality higher education and student experience, enhanced by the student voice;

• SKILLS , EMPLOYABILITY and ENTERPRISE – secure graduates who are equipped for life and work, and universities that contribute to an upskilled workforce;

• INNOVATION and ENGAGEMENT – secure the application and exploitation of knowledge to deliver social justice and a buoyant economy;

• RESEARCH – secure research of internationally excellent quality to deliver a buoyant economy and support social justice.

In addition, the work of the Council will be underpinned by the following key principles:

• RECONFIGURATION AND COLLABORATION – secure a reconfigured higher education system with strong providers that, through collaborative partnership working, particularly regionally, offers more accessible higher education opportunities and a stronger HE offering across Wales;

• GOVERNANCE –  secure continual improvement in the quality of governance and long term sustainability of the higher education system;

• ORGANISATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS – be a well run and cost effective organisation which will work productively in partnership with the Welsh Government and higher education providers individually and collectively.

Members are expected to:

• work closely with the Chair and the Chief Executive in giving advice and encouragement to the HEFCW in the initiation, development and implementation of policy and in the fulfilment of its statutory responsibilities;

• attend meetings of the Council and are expected to contribute, and be party to key decisions concerning the Council’s strategy;

• provide authoritative and timely advice to the Welsh Government on a limited basis between meetings;

• chair or be members of committees of the Council, as and when required;

• uphold, and be widely perceived to uphold, the highest standards of integrity and impartiality;

• build respect for the work of the Council; and

• be able to deal confidently with the Welsh Government and the Welsh Higher Education sector.

In appointing Council Members, the Welsh Ministers are required by section 62(4) of the 1992 Act to:

(a) have regard to the desirability of including persons who appear to have experience of, and to have shown capacity in, the provision of higher education or to have held, and to have shown capacity in, any position carrying responsibility for the provision of higher education and, in appointing such persons, have regard to the desirability of their currently being engaged in the provision of higher education or in carrying responsibility for such provision, and

(b) have regard to the desirability of including persons who appear to have experience of, and to have shown capacity in, industrial, commercial or financial matters or the practice of any profession’.

The Minister will take account of these requirements in making appointments to the Council. You will need to demonstrate that you:

• are aware of the changing higher education sector and the challenges it faces in the UK and international context. ;

• have the ability to challenge current thinking and be an effective and persuasive communicator;

• the ability to act as an effective board member;

• a clear understanding and commitment to equality issues and challenging discriminatory practices when appropriate; and

• have an understanding of the importance of high standards in public life.

The Welsh Government particularly wishes to include members with extensive experience in one or more of the following:

• experience in research intensive Higher Education Institutions;

• experience in a knowledge based private sector business with experience of graduate recruitment.

• experience of managing/ implementing organisational change.  

A successful candidate currently or formerly working for Welsh higher education institutions will not represent the interests of that institution whilst on the Council, but will be expected to take an impartial and holistic view of the challenges facing the whole of the Welsh higher education sector.

In coming to final decisions on membership, the Minister for Education and Skills will be guided by the need to secure a balanced Council which reflects the varied challenges facing higher education in Wales.