The Learner Engagement Code

Medr is currently consulting on a new regulatory system, including a new Learner Engagement Code that aims to support providers and Medr to focus the tertiary education sector around the needs of learners.

Why learner engagement matters

For the purposes of the Code, ‘learner engagement’ refers to the opportunities for learners to engage in their providers’ decision-making. Medr has a statutory duty to prepare a Learner Engagement Code, to monitor providers’ compliance with the Code, and to report on its effectiveness.

Effective learner engagement in decision-making provides benefits for current and future learners, for providers and for the tertiary education sector in Wales. Learners can develop skills and improve their experience, providers can enhance their understanding of learner needs and reflect this in their provision, and as a regulator Medr can respond to learners’ views through our strategic decisions.

The Code’s learner centred vision for learner engagement:

As learners we are at the heart of tertiary education and research in Wales. We have opportunities, as individuals and with our peers, to engage in decision-making that impacts and improves our learning experiences and those of future learners. Our voices matter throughout our learning journeys, whether we are starting a course, transitioning to new opportunities or progressing in our careers.

What is the Learner Engagement Code?

Underpinned by a shared set of principles which have been co-produced with learners, the Learner Engagement Code aims to ensure that learners’ interests are represented, that they have the opportunity to give their views to providers about the education and training they receive, and that they are able to participate in their providers’ decision-making. This could be through formal structures like students’ unions, or as individuals.

The Code has been developed in line with Medr’s statutory duties under the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022 (the Act), which also sets out that the Code will apply to all parts of the tertiary education sector:

• further education
• higher education
• apprenticeships
• adult community learning
• local authority maintained school sixth forms.

The Code has been developed as part of a wider piece of work on Medr’s new regulatory system. It will apply to registered and funded providers through the conditions of the regulatory framework and to sixth forms as a statutory duty, also set out in the Act.

How the draft has been developed

Medr has worked collaboratively with sector stakeholders including learners, provider staff and representative groups to develop the Learner Engagement Code. Through a series of discussions, workshops and feedback opportunities, stakeholders have shaped the development of the Code at every stage. Here’s how we’ve incorporated that early sector feedback in this draft and why continued dialogue to inform future developments for the Code is so important:

Principles based approach

• Stakeholders value the use of clear principles and an emphasis on the impact of learner engagement, recognising the diversity of engagement mechanisms across the sector and driving continuous improvement in effective practice.
• Feedback led to the principles being flipped to a learner perspective, centring on their experience of engagement in decision-making.
• Early drafts of the principles lacked clarity for many stakeholders, we’ve worked with the sector to simplify the language used and to give each principle a clear focal point.

Reflecting the diversity of the sector

• By working with sector stakeholders to develop the Code, we have been able to include contextual information and examples to reflect different parts of the tertiary education sector.
• We are committed to adding further examples, including beyond the publication of the Code where we will begin to share case studies from across Wales.
• Some parts of the sector have established learner engagement mechanisms they would like to see reflected in the requirements of the Code. Having taken the decision not to prescribe practice but principles, we have not built these elements in as requirements.
• We are committed to working with sector stakeholders to update or develop guidance where Medr may take a more prescriptive approach and to funding partners to develop good practice guidance and information for the sector which will accompany the Code.

Monitoring and evidence

• Reflecting on responses to Medr’s first regulatory consultation, our approach to monitoring compliance with the Code aims to minimise burden and draw on existing evidence wherever possible.
• Our intention is to supplement annual returns from each provider with evidence already available to Medr.
• Through this consultation and continued dialogue, we are particularly keen to build a picture of existing evidence that can be shared with Medr for monitoring of compliance with the Code.

How to have your say

We encourage you to read the draft Learner Engagement Code and invite responses to the associated consultation questions through our online survey. This route of formal consultation is open until 17 December 2025.

Your feedback is valued in helping us to develop the Code to ensure all tertiary learners in Wales have impactful opportunities to engage in their providers decision-making.

During the consultation period we will also be hosting events that will provide an opportunity to hear from our staff about the development of the new regulatory system and the key questions we are asking of all providers and stakeholders.

List of upcoming events

Learner Engagement Code events:

01 December 2025: 10:00–11:00	Medr regulatory consultation: Learner Engagement Code
02 December 2025: 13:00–14:30	Consultation event 1 for local authorities and maintained school sixth forms
08 December 2025: 12:30–14:00	Consultation event 2 for local authorities and maintained school sixth forms

Thank you for your engagement with the development of the Code. If you’d like to discuss the Learner Engagement Code further, please email [email protected].