| Medr Commission for Tertiary Education and Research | |
| Type: | Sponsored body |
| Preceding1: | Higher Education Funding Council for Wales |
| Jurisdiction: | Welsh Government |
| Agency Type: | Welsh Government sponsored body |
cy|'''Medr'''|term1=skill|term2=ability|italic=no, also known as the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research (CTER;), is a tertiary educational and Welsh Government sponsored body, overseeing post-16 education and research in Wales. It was established in August 2024, replacing the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.
In March 2016, a Welsh Government review proposed that the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) be replaced by a "Tertiary Education Authority",[1] [2] later referred to as a "Tertiary Education and Research Commission for Wales" in 2017, which also backed the scrapping of HEFCW.[3] [4]
The body was legally established, following the enactment of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act, on 8 September 2022. The body would be a Welsh Government sponsored body and would replace the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) when it becomes fully operational in August 2024.[5] [6] [7] [8] The new body would have a much broader role in Welsh education than HEFCW, as HEFCW currently only is responsible for higher education, with CTER gaining additional responsibilities held by the Welsh Government.[9] The body is expected to become the second largest public body in Wales after NHS Wales,[10] have an annual budget of £800 million,[11] and be the first combined higher and further education body in the United Kingdom. The development of the commission, integrating higher and further education oversight, would not lead to the replacement of Estyn, the further education inspector, or the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), the higher education inspector.[12] [13] The QAA welcomed the proposals.[14]
The commission would be responsible for strategising, funding and overseeing the further education (colleges and sixth-forms), higher education (universities), adult education and adult community learning, apprenticeships and training sectors of the Welsh educational system. The body forms part of the Welsh Government's strategic vision for post-compulsory (post-16) education and training in Wales.
In December 2022, it was announced the commission's board chair would be Julie Lydon, while its board's deputy chair would be David Sweeney.[15]
In July 2023, Jeremy Miles, Minister for Education and Welsh Language, received criticism in his involvement in establishing the commission, in which Miles overrode an agreed selection process for the commission's chief executive, to personally appoint the position himself. Miles stated his decision was a result that the first selection process between November 2022 and February 2023, failed to recommend a candidate for the position. Miles appointed Simon Pirotte, chief executive of Bridgend College.[16]
The organisation began some operations in September 2023. It was originally proposed to be fully operational in April 2024, although in January 2024, its full operation date was delayed to August 2024. Instead, the commission would begin developing plans in April but would only see full transfer of powers from HEFCW in August 2024.[17]
Prior to its operation date of August 2024, it was announced it would be branded as cy|Medr|term1=skill|term2=ability|italic=no|paren=left; also capitalised as MEDR).[18] [19] It began operations on 1 August 2024, while HEFCW was closed.[20]
The commission is to have the role of establishing a:
The Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act, which established the body, also set out some strategic duties: