Image: National Assembly for Wales [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Allocation will be £21m lower than expected, and £9m lower than last year
Welsh universities are set to receive less funding than anticipated in the coming academic year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales has announced.
A total of £171.5 million will be allocated to higher education providers in Wales for 2020-21, down from £180.6m in 2019-20.
The 2020-21 total is £21m lower than anticipated because of changes made by the Welsh government to its original budget allocations in response to the coronavirus pandemic, HEFCW said on 4 August.
It includes £78.4m for recurrent research funding, down from £84.8m the previous year. The remainder will go towards supporting part-time undergraduate course teaching, expensive full-time undergraduate subjects, degree apprenticeships, capital developments, and innovation and engagement.
The announcement comes after the Welsh government confirmed a £27m higher education investment and recovery fund, which is not included in the HEFCW allocations.
Announced on 22 July, the fund is designed to help universities maintain jobs in teaching, research and student services, and to carry out projects to support the wider economic recovery and students suffering from financial hardship.
“We understand the ongoing economic challenges in the middle of a global health crisis, and budgets across the Welsh government have been impacted,” said HEFCW chief executive David Blaney.
“We therefore also welcome the introduction of the new £27m Higher Education Investment and Recovery Fund, which recognises the negative impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the higher education sector. This funding will strengthen support for students and help secure higher education’s role in the economic and social recovery.”