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For learning providers

As well as funding and regulating tertiary education and research, we develop policies in a range of areas and encourage providers to meet the Welsh Government’s priorities in these areas.

Working with communities

Medr works to promote and improve the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales. Providers’ ‘civic mission’ can relate to how they interact with their communities and operate for a wider public good.

Supporting lifelong learning

We want the tertiary education sector to be able to support learners to meet their education and training ambitions, whatever their level and qualification, in a setting that suits them, whenever they decide to embark on their journey.

Skills and employability

We support tertiary education providers to equip all their learners to develop the necessary knowledge, skills and attributes to meet their ambitions, in employment and throughout their lives.

We work with employers and employer organisations to understand their current and future skills needs to ensure that the tertiary education system is delivering skilled and knowledgeable individuals, who are able to meet the evolving needs of businesses.

Medr is responsible for funding and regulating tertiary education in Wales, including higher and further education, apprenticeships, adult community learning and school sixth forms. The tertiary education sector is at the core of the Welsh Government’s employability and skills ambitions. Some employability training programmes continue to be funded by the Welsh Government, such as Jobs Growth Wales Plus.

Medr’s Global Outlook roadmap

Our Global Outlook roadmap sets out how we will meet our strategic duty to promote a global outlook across tertiary education and research in Wales.

The roadmap outlines what we and the tertiary education and research sector are already doing in this space, and how we will support providers to develop international engagement.

The roadmap is supported by Medr’s Global Outlook roadmap: Background, context and approach, which outlines in greater detail the process through which the roadmap was designed.

Digital learning

Digital learning helps to enhance learners’ experiences and to give them confidence to use technology in their day-to-day lives.

Digital 2030 is our strategic framework for supporting digital learning in further education, apprenticeships and adult community learning.

Digital 2030

Working in the post-16 sector

We encourage professional learning to better support the tertiary education workforce to be able meet the challenges facing the sector, including through supporting professional learning and upholding professional standards.

Working in partnership with trade unions

Medr has a duty to promote partnership between tertiary education providers and their recognised trade unions, supporting better decision-making as part of the Welsh Government’s social partnership commitment.

More information

Widening access and participation

Widening access, inclusion, retention, progression and success in tertiary education is a priority for Medr.

We work with the Welsh Government, learning providers and other partners to support and promote opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds who have the potential to benefit from tertiary education and training.

The Reaching Wider Programme aims to increase higher education participation from priority groups in Wales by raising educational aspirations and skills, and creating innovative study opportunities and learning pathways to higher education.

Fair admissions in higher education: contextualised admissions

Higher education supporting learning experiences in schools and colleges

Equality and diversity: pay difference reporting

Well-being and health

We fund, support and challenge further and higher education institutions to support their staff and learners’ well-being and health, including mental health.

Well-being and health: well-being and health strategy funding 2022/23 and monitoring requirements for 2021/22 and 2022/23

Identity-based violence, including violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV)

HEFCW published guidance on tackling violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence VAWDASV in higher education (HE) in November 2020 and 2023.

Safe and inclusive higher education: supporting equality and diversity education

Promoting equality of opportunity

While we are not the regulator for equality and diversity in tertiary education, our role is to support, champion and challenge providers to improve the equality and diversity of staff and learners.

The Anti-racist Wales Action Plan contains a wide range of goals and actions to develop anti-racist cultures and practices in all areas of education.

Advance HE was commissioned to deliver a programme of training and consultancy for the Welsh higher education sector to support institutions’ understanding of their current approach to race equality, and to develop clear plans for progress and to support institutions in responding to the Equality and Human Rights Commission inquiry into racial harassment in UK higher education.

In further education, we work with partners including the Black Leadership Group to support anti-racism in all institutions.

Supporting anti-racism in higher education: 2023/24 guidance and allocations

Supporting asylum seekers and refugees in higher education in Wales: audits and practice case studies

Safe and inclusive higher education: supporting LGBTQ+ staff and students

Equality and diversity: pay difference reporting