HIGHER education union leaders welcomed a Welsh government meeting with university leaders today following recent job loss announcements in Wales.

University and College Union (UCU) Wales official Gareth Lloyd said: “UCU Cymru welcomes the minister’s direction that universities work closely with unions, staff and student representatives and explore alternative options before considering compulsory redundancies.

“We are determined to ensure that job losses and course cuts are never viewed as the least path of resistance and are why our branches will continue to oppose all compulsory redundancies,” he said.

Higher Education Minister Vikki Howells and First Minister Eluned Morgan met with university vice-chancellors in the wake of job cuts across Wales, including 400 at Cardiff University, being announced in recent weeks.

“I continue to expect that universities will work closely with trade unions, staff and student representatives and explore alternative options fully before considering compulsory redundancies, the minister said.

Ms Howells said the meeting had also discussed higher education reform, which she said was essential to the financial health of universities and the country’s future economic growth.

“With the vice-chancellors, we have identified a number of priority areas of work to be taken forward,” she said.

The minister also said she would work with the British government on plans to reform higher education and would seek clarity on fees policy so that she could give universities more certainty in their financial planning. 

She said only 30 per cent of Welsh learners study at a university, compared to 40 per cent in Northern Ireland and 50 per cent in Greater London, adding that she was looking for creative solutions to increase student numbers.