Description of the contract
The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) is a Welsh Government Sponsored Body, established under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. HEFCW wishes to develop and sustain internationally excellent higher education in Wales, for the benefit of individuals, society and the economy, in Wales and more widely.
HEFCW regulates fee levels at universities, ensures a framework is in place for assessing the quality of higher education and scrutinises the performance of universities and other designated providers. A copy of HEFCW’s most recent annual report is available on its website www.hefcw.ac.uk where information on its corporate strategy, including its mission and aims can also be found.
HEFCW’s vision is ‘sustainable, accessible, internationally excellent higher education in Wales’. In pursuit of this vision HEFCW funds higher education in Wales, regulates higher education providers in Wales, influences higher education with evidence-based advice and strong partnership working, works in partnership with students and operates effectively as an organisation. HEFCW also monitors Welsh Higher Education (HE) provision within Further Educations (FE) institutions. FE institutions in Wales are funded and inspected by Estyn.
There are eight HE institutions and thirteen FE institutions in Wales. The institutions are located across Wales and deliver HE, FE, and some WBL provision. The Open University in Wales has been included in this research work to consider its role in relation to part time and mature students. It is also important to incorporate the views of its students given these might not be reflected through the National Union of Students Wales (NUS Wales).
From 2009 Wise Wales, formerly known as the Wales Initiative for Student Engagement, has actively encouraged collaboration within the HE sector through offering opportunities for institutions and student bodies to develop and enhance their student partnership practices. Wise Wales has supported institutions and students’ unions to work in partnership and progress beyond engagement to encourage an active student voice in meaningful discussions on the student experience.
HEFCW will be going to open tender to commission a piece of extensive research on student partnership in Welsh Higher Education and Further Education Institutions. This work will follow that of Wise Wales to consider how to better engage in partnership work across all Welsh higher and further education providers.
We are interested in receiving tender submissions from contractors with significant experience of conducting research ideally within further and higher education, with a focus on student engagement, partnership and/or student voice.
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