A PLANNED massive cut to higher education funding has been reversed, in a move welcomed by Ceredigion’s AM who said the plans would cost jobs and hurt the county.

The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales had been facing cuts of £42m, around a third of its budget, but the Welsh Government cancelled £31m of the cuts last Tuesday.

The large cuts would have harmed Ceredigion, objectors said, with the county home to two universities in Aberystwyth and Wales - which bring millions of pounds into the economy each year.

Minister Jane Hutt said she would allow HEFCW — which funds Welsh universities — to keep £21.1m which was due to be diverted to tuition fee subsidies, and would give it an extra £10m to support part-time courses and research.

In a statement, HEFCW said: “A cut of 32 per cent to HEFCW’s budget would have had a real impact on universities’ ability to meet Welsh government priorities.

“We are delighted that the contribution of Welsh universities to the economy and society of Wales has been acknowledged.”

Ceredigion AM Elin Jones welcomed the news after laying down amendments calling for the Government to reconsider its huge cuts to universities.

She had previously wanred that the cuts would “spell disaster” for the county’s universities, and raised concerns that the deep cuts were not even discussed at Cabinet level before being given the green light.

She said that “hundreds of jobs” and “the reputations of our universities” would be put at risk.

The lower level of funding cuts, around £11m, were agreed last Tuesday as the Assembly passed the draft budget for 2016/17.

Ms Jones said: “I’m pleased the Labour Government has bowed to pressure from Plaid Cymru and has reversed some of these cuts.

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