Our work

The Coleg's Function

The Coleg’s main aim is to increase, develop and broaden the range of Welsh medium study opportunities at universities in Wales. In addition to funding high quality modules and resources for the Welsh medium sector, the Coleg will further build upon the previous work accomplished by the Centre for Welsh Medium Higher Education and will aim to develop effective collaborative partnerships, extend the range of academic provision, and train a new generation of lecturers for the future in partnership with universities.

The Coleg will place the Welsh language, Welsh culture and scholarship in Welsh at the heart of its operations while planning, developing and implementing its strategy.  The Coleg, through its agreements with institutions will ensure that all funds allocated through the Coleg for Welsh medium education are used appropriately, and will ensure that this funding is additional to current institutional spending from their own budgets.

The Coleg recognises the importance of firm targets for increasing the numbers of students studying through the medium of Welsh.  The Coleg will respond positively to such targets set by the Welsh Government and the Funding Council, and where necessary will set its own targets for individual academic subjects and individual institutions.  However, the Coleg will also act as an advocate for the principle of studying through the medium of Welsh, arguing that the Welsh language cannot take its rightful place in academic life and in university education until the provision and choice for students is substantially broadened to correspond to the patterns already established in other educational sectors, including primary and secondary schools.

The task facing the Coleg is a long term one and the results of these efforts will not be fully realised in the short term.