A review of the costs of Welsh medium provision at Higher Education providers in Wales for HEFCW

Tender description

The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) is a Welsh Government Sponsored Body, established under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. We regulate fee levels at higher education (HE) providers, ensure a framework is in place for assessing the quality of higher education and scrutinise the performance of universities and other designated providers. We also provide funding for higher education teaching, research and innovation, and apply our influence and expertise to help deliver Welsh Government priorities for higher education that also have wider societal and economic benefits. A copy of our most recent annual report is available on our website as well as information on our Corporate Strategy. HEFCW has committed to reviewing its teaching funding methodologies. The first stage of the review includes work to review the additional costs of bilingual and Welsh medium provision in Wales. Previous work commissioned by HEFCW concluded that there were costs associated with delivering provision bilingually and/or through the medium of Welsh, in addition to those associated with delivery solely through the medium of English. We want to understand whether this is still the case, and if so, the contributing factors to this additional cost. This will enable us to determine whether HEFCW’s existing funding methodology for Welsh medium provision is effective and how we might fund bilingual and Welsh medium HE provision in the future. Currently, we operate a Welsh medium premium for part-time undergraduate provision only, on the basis of a 34% additional weighting for eligible provision at Welsh higher education institutions (HEIs). We are interested in receiving tender submissions from suppliers with experience of conducting socio-economic research and data analysis, ideally within a higher education context and relating to Welsh medium or Welsh language issues. The aim of this contract is to undertake a study to determine the additional costs of Welsh medium HE provision at HEFCW funded institutions in Wales (or where this is provided on their behalf) and how these costs differ to those for English medium provision, and to provide recommendations to HEFCW for the future funding of Welsh medium HE provision, in the form of a final review report. Further information is provided in the specification. The review will inform our recommendations to HEFCW’s Council regarding how this provision should be funded in the future. This review should take account of the work conducted in 2005/06 on the costs of provision through the medium of Welsh in HEIs in Wales, and the challenges encountered by institutions in providing data on Welsh medium delivery (including via the TRAC(T)) pilot). The Contractor will be expected to design and submit a methodology which will allow it to meet the objectives of the contract. The Contractor will be expected to conduct a survey of higher education providers in Wales that deliver HE provision through the medium of Welsh to ensure that a wide range of providers have an opportunity to engage with the work. The Contract will be for a period of six months. We anticipate that the Contract will begin in October 2021 and that it will take approximately 20-25 days to complete the work. The final review report will be expected at the end of March 2022. Mae Cyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru (CCAUC) yn Gorff a Noddir gan Lywodraeth Cymru, a sefydlwyd o dan Ddeddf Addysg Bellach ac Uwch 1992. Rydym yn rheoleiddio lefelau ffioedd darparwyr addysg uwch (AU), yn sicrhau bod fframwaith yn ei le ar gyfer asesu ansawdd addysg uwch, ac yn craffu ar berfformiad prifysgolion a darparwyr eraill dynodedig. Rydym yn darparu cyllid ar gyfer ymchwil, addysgu ac arloesedd mewn addysg uwch, ac yn defnyddio ein dylanwad a'n harbenigedd i helpu i roi blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer addysg uwch ar waith, er lles cymdeithas yn ehangach ac er lles yr economi. Mae copi o'n hadroddiad blynyddol diweddaraf ar gael ar