Professor Elwen Evans, Chair of Universities Wales, explains why universities must be at the heart of an ambitious plan for national renewal.
For more than 200 years universities have been at the heart of Cymru’s national story, driving opportunity, innovation and social progress.
But, as a sector – and as a society – we are experiencing a period of rapid change. From the digital revolution and climate change, to rising inequality and global instability, the challenges we face are both complex and urgent.
As we look ahead to the Senedd election in 2026, we are calling for universities to be at the heart of an ambitious vision to tackle these challenges and build a fairer, stronger Wales.
A challenging landscape
Wales’ future prosperity depends on our ability to nurture talent, drive innovation and equip people with the skills to thrive in a fast-moving world. Universities have a crucial role to play, but it is no secret that we are operating in an increasingly challenging environment – from financial pressures and political uncertainty to a concerning decline in higher education participation.
Graduates are the backbone of our future economy. To respond to future skills needs, it’s estimated that Wales will need an additional 400,000 graduates by 2035. However, we are seeing a worrying decline in the percentage of Welsh 18-year-olds who choose to go to university, with Wales’ young people significantly less likely to attend university than their peers in other parts of the UK.
Wales’ future prosperity depends on our ability to nurture talent, drive innovation and equip people with the skills to thrive in a fast-moving world.
We know the benefits of higher education are profound. Degrees create pathways to better life outcomes and job satisfaction, while communities with higher participation benefit from greater civic engagement, stronger economies, and deeper social capital.
If we fail to communicate higher education’s essential role in shaping future prospects, we risk leaving the next generation less qualified, and with fewer pathways to success. Reversing this trend is essential if we are to continue to unlock opportunity and drive social mobility.
A joined up tertiary sector
The challenges we face continue to spark debate about the road ahead. But with obstacles comes opportunity, and if universities are to rise to these challenges, we need to respond, adapt and lead in new ways.
To widen participation and support lifelong learning, we need to stop thinking in silos and to overturn the barriers that lead prospective students to believe that university is “not for people like me.”
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This requires a system where learners can move smoothly between providers and where aspiration is sparked not once at 17 but nurtured from early years and throughout lifetimes.
The creation of Medr as a national steward for post-16 tertiary education and research offers a rare opportunity to integrate skills and knowledge generation more coherently across the sectors. This ambitious tertiary approach holds the promise of more integrated pathways, a stronger ecosystem for lifelong learning, and better alignment between education, economic development, and social need.
For universities, this transition requires new and innovative approaches to delivery. It also offers an opportunity to reassert higher education’s distinct civic, cultural and research strengths as central to Wales’ future, while building a skills system that positions universities as essential partners.
As we look to the future, universities must be at the forefront of delivering the skills, research, and innovation that will shape a fairer, greener, and more prosperous Wales.
Against this backdrop, it is essential that we tell a clear and confident story about universities’ public value and the daily impacts of our work.
Shaping the future
As we look to the future, universities must be at the forefront of delivering the skills, research, and innovation that will shape a fairer, greener, and more prosperous Wales. Our manifesto, Universities for a Stronger Wales, sets out a bold vision for how the sector can help meet the nation’s long-term ambitions.
Our universities are deeply embedded in communities, driving local growth, supporting public services, and shaping the places where people live and work. In the years ahead, universities will play a pivotal role in building a more resilient economy and ensuring that people of all ages can access the opportunities they need to thrive. By deepening partnerships with industry, government, and communities, we can co-create solutions to the most pressing challenges – from tackling health inequalities to driving digital transformation.
To realise this vision, we need a policy and funding environment that empowers universities to be agile, ambitious, and globally connected. That means sustainable investment in teaching and research, a supportive regulatory system, and a tertiary strategy that recognises the unique contribution of universities to Wales’ future.
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A bold vision
At a time when the value of higher education is under growing scrutiny, we must engage constructively with policymakers to make the case for higher education, and in particular that teaching, innovation, research and public service are not competing priorities, but mutually reinforcing foundations of a healthy sector.
Equally, we must work across the tertiary system to ensure coherence and quality in support of our collective mission: to serve students, strengthen communities, and advance knowledge for public good.
Most importantly, we need to be bolder in making the case for higher education as a national strategic asset, because it is up to us to articulate a confident vision for the sector’s role in our national life; a vision that is grounded in evidence, collaboration and long-term thinking.
This is a pivotal moment for our universities, and for the nation. As Chair of Universities Wales, I look forward to working with colleagues across the sector and with the next Welsh Government to drive forward an era of national renewal for Wales, tackling today’s challenges and shaping tomorrow’s solutions.
Universities Wales’ manifesto – Universities for a stronger Wales – is available on the Universities Wales website.
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