Welsh in Higher Education Institutions, 2009/10

This Bulletin provides information about students enrolled at Welsh higher education institutions (HEIs) taught through the medium of Welsh and staff teaching through the medium of Welsh up to the 2009/10 academic year. The bulletin updates the statistics previously released on 29 July 2010.

The key points from the latest release are:

• The number of students receiving some teaching through the medium of Welsh in 2009/10 shows a 5.9 per cent fall on the 2008/09 figure(1).
• In 2009/10 the proportion of all students receiving some teaching through the medium of Welsh was 3.8 per cent, down from 4.2 per cent in 2008/09(1).
• The number of Welsh domiciled students receiving some teaching through the medium of Welsh at Welsh HEIs has fallen by 1.4 per cent in the past year(2).
• The proportion of Welsh domiciled students at Welsh HEIs who received some teaching through the medium of Welsh has remained unchanged at 7.2 per cent(2).
• Excluding Welsh, the most popular subjects of study with some teaching through the medium of Welsh were education, creative arts and design and social studies(2).
• The number of staff recorded as being able to teach through the medium of Welsh continues to increase, whereas the number of staff actually teaching through the medium of Welsh has remained more-or-less stationary since 2008/09, resulting in a divergence between those who are able and those who actually teach through the medium of Welsh.

(1) Figures include estimates for the University of Wales, Newport
(2) Figures do not include estimates for the University of Wales, Newport

Revision note

The method of recording the number of students receiving some teaching through Welsh used at one institution has been amended this year.  The institution is not able to provide exact student numbers for all years, only certain estimates for 2008/09 and 2009/10, which have been used where possible, a more detailed explanation is included in the Notes section of the bulletin.

The method for identifying students achieving Qualified Teach Status (QTS) has also been amended this year. A more detailed explanation is included in the Notes section of the bulletin. Figures have been revised both for the 2009/10 academic year and all previous years to allow proper comparisons across years to be made.

Further information

StatsWales website.

Contact

Tel: 029 2082 5067
E-mail: post16ed.stats@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Next update

July 2012 (provisional - to be confirmed on the 'Due Out Soon' page)