University cash body Hefcw to be scrapped

Kirsty Williams says the boundaries between higher and further education are "breaking down"

The body which distributes public money to universities is to be scrapped and replaced with a new organisation.

A review in 2016 said it was time for the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (Hefcw) to go.

A new organisation will manage funding for universities, further education colleges, research and skills.

Education Secretary Kirsty Williams told AMs the "boundaries between higher education and further education are now breaking down".

At the moment, funding for further education and training comes directly from ministers while Hefcw distributes money from the Welsh Government to universities.

The changes were recommended in a review led by Professor Ellen Hazelkorn, a higher education expert at the Dublin Institute of Technology.

A consultation will be held later this year on setting up the new organisation, with the current chair of Hefcw, David Allen, staying in post for three years.

Ms Williams said she hoped the consultation would come up with a better name for the new organisation than the current proposal of Tertiary Education Authority (TEA).