The Welsh government has announced a review covering the role of the ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Funding Council for Wales, which will make recommendations on future oversight of post-secondary education.

The review will be led by Ellen Hazelkorn, policy adviser to Ireland¡¯s ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Authority and director of the ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Research Unit at the Dublin Institute of Technology. It will start in October and report in spring 2016.

The review is to cover ¡°the regulation and oversight of post-compulsory education and training in Wales, with special reference to the future role and function of the ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Funding Council for Wales¡±.

A Welsh higher education act, which critics fear will grant Hefcw greater powers over universities, was passed earlier this year.

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And Sir Ian Diamond, the University of Aberdeen vice-chancellor, is already carrying out a government-commissioned review of student finance and higher education funding.

Huw Lewis, the minister for education and skills in the Welsh government, announcing the review in a statement, said that in ¡°post-compulsory education¡± there are ¡°an assortment of oversight activities undertaken by a variety of bodies including the Welsh government, Hefcw and Estyn¡±, the Welsh equivalent of Ofsted.?

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He added: ¡°As a consequence, there are different arrangements for, different degrees of engagement with, and different levels of effectiveness in the delivery of a number of oversight functions.¡±

Mr Lewis noted the advent of the higher education act, the Diamond review and the ¡°likelihood of future funding and financing challenges¡±. He continued that ¡°now seems an appropriate time to review the scope for a better alignment of the arrangements for oversight activity in and between the institutions involved in the provision of post-compulsory education and training¡±.

Professor Hazelkorn¡¯s review will ¡°consider the current oversight arrangements and make recommendations for the future regulation and oversight of post-compulsory education and training in Wales with particular reference to the role of Hefcw¡±, Mr Lewis added.?

¡°I have also asked Professor Hazelkorn to indicate whether there may be a need for legislation and new or reformed institutional arrangements to take forward future arrangements proposed in the light of this evaluation.¡±

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David Blaney, Hefcw chief executive, said that the organisation ¡°is normally subject to a review every five years. We welcome the statement by the minister for education and skills, and look forward to working with Professor Hazelkorn in due course¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com