FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2025
A new report from the Prydain Centre exposes the Welsh university sector as a bloated, inefficient, and unsustainable relic of outdated thinking—one that traps young people in debt, misaligns with the economy, and prioritises participation over purpose.
Entitled The University Industrial Complex, the report argues that Wales’ eight universities have become a “credential conveyor belt”, with over 135,000 students being funnelled through institutions increasingly geared toward revenue, not rigorous learning. The result: spiralling graduate debt, low-value degrees, and a growing mismatch between education and employability.
Key Findings:
- £37,000+ average debt per graduate—yet one-third are in non-graduate jobs a decade on.
- 135,000 students in a country of just 3.1 million—a disproportionately high participation rate.
- Universities have become visa mills and credential factories, prioritising foreign revenue over educational purpose.
- Whole departments are closing, and campuses are being shuttered, as financial instability bites.
The Prydain Centre’s Vision for Reform:
The report outlines a bold, transformative blueprint for Welsh higher education—modelled on the reformist legacy of Harvard’s Charles W. Eliot:
🔹 Consolidation to Three Elite Institutions
- Cut the number of universities from eight to three, each with a distinct mission:
- Cardiff: research excellence across STEM and humanities.
- Swansea: applied sciences and industry partnerships.
- Aberystwyth/Bangor: cultural and environmental leadership.
- Consolidation focuses funding, attracts top global talent, and builds institutions of genuine prestige.
🔹 Halve Student Numbers
- Cap admissions to 65,000 to match economic need and academic suitability.
- Raise entry standards and prioritise degrees in STEM, healthcare, and critical sectors.
- Replace mass enrolment with merit-based selection and pathways that reward genuine talent.
🔹 Democratise Knowledge Through a “Digital Knowledge Hub”
- Create a nationwide online learning platform providing free or low-cost access to courses, lectures, and forums—open to all, debt-free.
- Built in partnership with the newly consolidated institutions and private-sector ed-tech leaders.
- Designed to replace the outdated “university experience” with a lifelong learning culture that’s modern, flexible, and radically inclusive.
🔹 Reconnect Learning with Real-World Skills
- Redirect students toward apprenticeships, vocational routes, and online micro-credentials that actually match market demand.
- End the fixation with paper degrees and give young people tools to thrive—without incurring life-altering debt.
A System Failing the Next Generation
“This isn’t education—it’s exploitation,” said Chris Harries, author of the report. “We’ve created a generation weighed down by debt, false promises, and degrees with no real-world value. It’s time to stop selling university as a default and start restoring it as a mark of excellence.”
The report calls on the Welsh Government to launch a pilot of the Digital Knowledge Hub as a first step, and begin the transition toward a reformed, prestige-driven higher education system.
Wales has a choice: maintain the failed status quo or build a university sector that commands global respect. The Prydain Centre is urging ministers to choose courage over complacency.
Read the report: