Subjects of broader importance to Wales
Subjects of Broader Importance to Wales refers to subjects which need some kind of supportive intervention to maintain courses in universities and/or to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups. Such intervention is necessary to address a mismatch between supply and demand, or because the subject has a strategic importance within Wales and the UK.
In response to the Welsh Government's request that we examine prospective subjects of broader importance, and the types of intervention to consider, we have identified three subject areas to invest in:- science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
- modern foreign languages (MFL)
- Islamic studies
HEFCW has supported and developed a number of projects to address issues of student demand for STEM subjects deemed to be of broader importance to Wales. The term STEM, and in particular the 'science' element of it, covers a wide variety of disciplines. So far we are concentrating on chemistry, physics, engineering and maths.
Between 2007/08 and 2008/09, we invested £750,000 in four STEM projects (below) in partnership with the Institute of Physics, Royal Society for Chemistry, Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications.
HEFCW is now involved in the establishment and delivery of the National STEM Programme in partnership with HEFCE. Focusing on England and Wales, the programme aims to increase the numbers graduating from STEM courses, with an especial emphasis on students from non-traditional higher education (HE) backgrounds, and will also aim to make a significant contribution to meeting the skills needs of local economies. We will provide £1 million towards the programme over a three-year period from 2009/10.
Further information about the National STEM Programme
In 2005 HEFCW, in response to the Welsh Assembly Government’s Languages Count strategy, commissioned a review of MFL provision in Wales. The result of the review was the creation of a small development fund to enable three MFL related projects to be undertaken by the HE sector in Wales. With the projects now complete and the refresh of Languages Count due in Autumn 2009, HEFCW decided in October 2008 to make MFL a Subject of Broader Importance to Wales.
In partnership with the Higher Education Academy’s Subject Centre for Languages and Linguistics and Area Studies, which is based in Southampton University, and CILT Cymru, we intend to invest £250,000 per year for the three year period 2009/10 – 2011/12 into the Routes into Languages programme.
Under the programme, a number of regional consortia, of which Wales will be one, have been established where groups of universities work together, with schools and colleges, to enthuse and encourage people to study languages. The programme in England has been jointly funded by HEFCE and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Further information about Routes into Languages
In June 2007 the UK Government stated that Islamic Studies in UK should be enhanced. To facilitate this, we have agreed to work with HEFCE, SFC and the Higher Education Academy to fund the creation of a network of excellence across the UK. The network will benefit institutions in Wales and the UK which have provision in Islamic Studies, as well as academic staff in other departments, such as Theology or Sociology, who have a specialist interest in Islamic Studies. The network will provide information on courses and staff, facilitate events, seminars and exchange of ideas, and enable academics to connect.
