The Long & Winding Roads....

.....The A470 to Wrexham and then the A55 to Bangor !

Well it's here. The countdown to NUS Wales' Governance Day and Winter Council has begun.
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In 5 sleeps, the big debate will begin in the presence of every HE constituent members in Wales - the first time ever! It is great that we will have such a good turnout for Winter Council, but the circumstances in which this has happened are a real shame. Could it be that NUS Wales has engaged with its members? Or has the Welsh Language motion dominated the event? Well either way we'll have one of the best ever turnouts!
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It is also a shame that it takes a contravercial motion to get people involved. It raises the question... "why aren't these delegates standing for election to come to conference every year"?
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I believe this year there is a wide range of motions that are of genuine interest to the students of Wales. Despite what anyone may think and despite the outcome of any of the motions, students and CM's will finally be engaging in the whole process that is NUS Wales. In previous conferences we have passed policy on working with Shelter Cymru and working with the TUC. Our conferences haven't had debates because no one disagrees with these kind of motions. Conferences have been boring and members have been turned off.
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I hope that new delegates won't be turned off NUS Wales after the countless number of campaigners that are due to turn up outside of the conference building. Let this year be the start of good things for NUS Wales - engaging with its members, listening to its members and above all delivering for its members.

The Bologna Process

The Bologna Process aims to create a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) by 2010. The bologna declaration of June 1999 has put in motion a series of reforms needed to make European Higher Education more compatible and comparable, more competitive and more attractive for Europeans and for students and scholars from other continents. The bologna process will enable students to choose from a wide and transparent range of high quality courses throughout Europe and benefit from smooth recognition procedures. Today the NUS Wales President and I attended a bologna seminar at the Hilton hotel in Cardiff and met with other key stakeholders in the education sector. These included HEFCW, HEWales, WAG, Pro Vice Chancellors and Academic Registrars of HE Institutions to name but a few.

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The seminar focused on two main areas:

'Mobility' - getting students in Welsh HEI's out studying in other EU countries and

'Employability' - the benefits to students in the job market after graduation

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We broke down these two areas and looked in detail on the organisation of and implementation of the EHEA from a Wales perspective. We looked at how to break down the barriers of language provision, enhanced funding for students wishing to study abroad, increased employment opportunities and above all what institutions have to do to get the scheme working.

I could talk for hours about the different discussions on these areas but as this is only my second blog, I don't want to put you off too soon! I will post the published report when it is out. But to inform you, after drawing on the success of the Welsh Medium Education group, I suggested we set up a working group for the Bologna process in Wales. This was warmly welcomed and NUS Wales will have a seat on this group.

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Ben and I received some positive comments towards NUS Wales and our willingness to be involved in the process as a whole.

I quote the final few lines of workshop one:

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"During this whole process, who will be the one scrutinising us and ensure we have got the best interests at the heart of the process"? The group was asked.

"WE WILL", I said!

Wales Office Budget Increase

Here it is.... my first post!

You may have seen my facebook profile yesterday evening stating "Carl is wondering why the Home Office at Westminster has had an almost 80% increase in budget"!? Well I'm still wondering...

It is fair to say that since devolution of the Assembly in Wales, the work load of the Secretary of State for Wales had declined. Only very recently, since the introducation of the Government for Wales Act 2006, has the Secretary of State had a little more work to do. So I am wondering how looking over a few Legislative Competence Orders (in which Westminster seems to be standing in the way of as it is) can warrant this extra funding?

Peter Hain said today that he "makes no apology for having a stong policy base". Perhaps he could make an apology to the people of Wales who are losing out to the tune of £4 million?