Education Minister Leighton Andrews has welcomed the launch of a new Welsh Medium scholarship which will help to engage more students in Welsh medium higher education.
At the launch of the new scholarship Mr Andrews reaffirmed the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to establishing Coleg Ffederal in Wales.
Leighton Andrews said:
“One Wales committed the Welsh Assembly Government to establishing ‘a Welsh Medium Higher Education Network – the Federal College – in order to ensure Welsh medium provision in our universities.
“We have continued this commitment to growing Welsh medium higher education in For our Future, our strategic action plan for higher education in Wales.
“We want to enable learners to study through the medium of Welsh in a wider range of programmes and locations in Wales. This links into our broader aim of promoting greater collaboration and partnership between providers at all levels in order to better meet the needs of learners.
“The strategic approach, led by Coleg Ffederal, will help deliver social justice for those who seek to learn through the medium of Welsh. It also provides potential economic benefits through wider access to workforce development, and supporting business opportunities which exploit the potential offered by a bilingual environment.
“The scholarships being launched today provide an excellent opportunity to engage more students in Welsh medium higher education and I am now looking forward to seeing Coleg Ffederal becoming fully operational in autumn 2011.”
