The Welsh Government has published an evidence paper identifying structural pressures on Wales’s tertiary education system. An accompanying call for evidence is open until 27 March 2026.
The paper highlights:
- Reducing and low comparative participation at age 18 and the role of mature and part-time students in overall participation.
- Potential financial sustainability issues (tied to demographic shifts and market changes).
- The importance of HE institutions playing an active role in regional development and skills ecosystems.
This is an important opportunity to shape policy discussions on subject sustainability, funding incentives and planning frameworks for HE provision in Wales in advance of likely reform in the next Senedd term.
Meanwhile, Medr’s recent strategic subject review looked at enrolments by subject group, participation trends over time, and comparison with UK patterns. This highight’s Engineering’s meaningful presence in Welsh higher education, some Engineering cold spots, and dependence on overseas students.
The EPC is seeking a representative response (see our consultations policy).
If you would like to contribute please contact us.
The EPC intends to emphasise Engineering’s strategic national and regional importance within Wales and the financial sustainability pressures resulting from the inadequacy of current funding models for high-cost STEM subjects.
For Wales to build a genuinely integrated tertiary system that strengthens national resilience, Engineering must be explicitly protected and strategically planned. Without intervention, financial pressures may lead to contraction of high-cost STEM provision, undermining Wales’ ambitions for productivity, innovation, and net zero.
We will also highlight the need for:
- subject-sensitive policy levers, including discipline-aware funding, regulation, and quality frameworks.
- stronger collaboration across tertiary education and with employers to develop flexible pathways into engineering.
- access and widening participation frameworks tailored to overcome specific barriers in engineering disciplines.
If you would like to contribute to this response please contact us by Friday 14th March 2026.
