A Long Way Short of a People’s University

Gareth Rees and Chris Taylor on widening access to higher education in Wales - Planet 211

Tweet

When the modern Welsh higher education (HE) system emerged at the end of the nineteenth century, its ethos was popularly viewed in terms of the democratic and inclusive character of the institutions that were created. Moreover, the reality was that, up until the middle of the twentieth century, the University of Wales and the other Welsh HE institutions were concerned to keep student fees as low as possible. Moreover, participation was more favourable for women and those from lower middle-class and working-class backgrounds than in other parts of the UK. In Wales, our universities have always been understood to have a responsibility to ensure that individuals from as wide a range of social backgrounds as possible can enter higher education...

Read more in the latest issue - click here to buy