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Students called for an overhaul to make Welsh universities more financially sustainable amid concerns about the uncertainty of sweeping cuts impacting on mental health.

Deio Owen, president of the National Union of Students (NUS) Cymru, warned students’ mental health has suffered following proposed and confirmed cuts at Welsh universities.

He told the Senedd’s education committee: “That uncertainty does have a knock-on effect – not just on your education and your prospects in your exams… but also your personal life.”

Mr Owen said students are paying more than £9,000 in tuition fees “for a service you’re not sure you’re going to get which makes the university sector unique”.

He told the committee: “It’s not like going to a shop and buying a tumble dryer or a toaster, and it’s that uncertainty which isn’t fair on students or staff or anybody that’s being affected.”

‘Frustration’

Giving evidence on June 25 as part of an inquiry on higher education, Mr Owen said students support staff in taking crucial industrial action.

“There is also frustration, there are doubts,” he added. “If you look at it from the outside ‘the staff aren’t teaching and I’m going to miss out’ but, generally speaking, I think there is support and people understand why people are striking.”

Asked about comparisons with the rest of the UK, Mr Owen told the committee many of the challenges are common across the four nations.

But, raising concerns about participation rates, he pointed to statistics showing around 30% of Welsh young people attend a university anywhere in the UK. This compares with 40% in Northern Ireland, “our closest counterpart economically”, and nearly 50% in greater London.

“I want to live in a Wales where everybody has the opportunity to follow whichever education pathway they choose,” said Mr Owen, warning of unique economic and social barriers.

‘Overhaul’

Vaughan Gething, the former First Minister who was himself once NUS Cymru’s president, asked about calls for an overhaul of the financial model for universities in Wales.

Mr Owen replied: “To put it quite simply, the system is not working as it is formed right now and we need to see that change to make it fairer, more equal and equitable for everyone who wants to access the higher education system here in Wales.”

The politics and Welsh graduate added: “To show that the system’s not working: we have young people who have less than £50 at the end of the month in their bank account and Wales has the most generous financial package of support for students in the UK.

“But that support isn’t going far enough…. If tuition fees were working, I don’t think our universities would be in such a state that they are now.”

Acknowledging there is no “silver bullet”, Mr Owen urged Wales to be more outward looking by considering models in other European countries which offer free or cheaper tuition.

‘Bandages’

He called for the Welsh and UK Governments to undertake a more fundamental review, encompassing elements beyond education such as mental health support and housing.

“Over the years we’ve seen bandages put on wounds,” he said. “Whereas we haven’t seen that transformational piece that will make an education system that works.”

Mr Owen stressed: “We haven’t got that forward-looking vision for the future of what higher education will look like, how we’re going to create a system that is fair for everyone.”

He argued the onus is on politicians to create a fair and equal education system, saying: “I represent the voice of students, not the voice of policy-makers, we’re created to raise those concerns, not to make those decisions, but there is a need for change – that is quite clear.”

Mr Owen said NUS Cymru has a positive relationship with Vikki Howells, Wales’ universities minister, but: “The Welsh Government does have a role to play, it can’t just ignore the challenges faced by the sector. Education doesn’t stop after you leave school.”