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Student governors from across Wales’ universities connected with each other and their support networks at a Student Partnership in Governance event funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW). This sets out an approach which will be expanded to support student governance in other parts of tertiary education when the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research is operational from April 2024.
During the event, student governors built boardroom skills and a peer network that was complemented by an afternoon with students’ union chief executive officers, university chairs, and clerks and secretaries. The training was led by Advance HE associates, Nick Smith and Katie Phillips.
Dr. Ewen Brierley, Director of Regulation and Analysis at HEFCW said “it was positive to see partnership working between student governors and their respective chairs and clerks to identify best practice and solutions to the barriers that face student governors. We welcome the training event from Advance HE and hope that this supports student governors to engage with governance and ensure that the student voice is heard at the highest level of their institution.”
Advance HE was delighted to welcome the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles MS, who addressed the participants on ‘the future of tertiary and the role of the learner engagement code in good institutional governance’.
The programme offered delegates a strategic overview of how higher education is structured and works in Wales, including the policy that is shaping the tertiary space, before focusing more directly on the working of a governing body and student partnership in institutions.
Dan Tinkler, Advance HE Governance Development Manager, said, “All governors have a valid contribution to make and it’s important that an unfamiliar setting or procedures – or even perceived status – should not restrict contributions of any of those voices. This day was about helping equip student governors make their contribution and actively and effectively participate in the governance of their institution. ”
Advance HE’s Governor Development Programme supports a range of contributors to the Board including new and returning student governors.
Bu myfyrwyr-lywodraethwyr ar draws prifysgolion Cymru’n cysylltu â’i gilydd a’u rhwydweithiau cymorth mewn digwyddiad Partneriaeth gyda Myfyrwyr mewn Trefniadau Llywodraethu a gyllidwyd gan Gyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru (CCAUC). Mae hyn yn disgrifio dull a fydd yn cael ei ehangu i gefnogi llywodraethu gan fyfyrwyr mewn rhannau eraill o addysg drydyddol, pan fydd y Comisiwn Addysg Drydyddol ac Ymchwil yn weithredol o fis Ebrill 2024.
Yn ystod y digwyddiad, fe wnaeth myfyrwyr-lywodraethwyr feithrin sgiliau ar gyfer ystafell y bwrdd a rhwydwaith cymheiriaid a ategwyd gan brynhawn gyda phrif weithredwyr undebau myfyrwyr, a chadeiryddion, clercod ac ysgrifenyddion prifysgolion. Arweiniwyd yr hyfforddiant gan gymdeithion Advance HE, Nick Smith a Katie Phillips.
Meddai Dr. Ewen Brierley, Cyfarwyddwr Rheoleiddio a Dadansoddi yn CCAUC “roedd hi’n gadarnhaol gweld gwaith mewn partneriaeth rhwng myfyrwyr-lywodraethwyr a’u priod gadeiryddion a chlercod i adnabod arfer gorau a datrysiadau i’r rhwystrau sy’n wynebu myfyrwyr-lywodraethwyr. Rydym yn croesawu’r digwyddiad dysgu gan Advance HE ac yn gobeithio y bydd hwn yn cynorthwyo myfyrwyr-lywodraethwyr i ymgysylltu â threfniadau llywodraethu a sicrhau bod llais y myfyriwr yn cael ei glywed ar y lefel uchaf yn eu sefydliad.”
Roedd Advance HE wrth ei fodd i groesawu Gweinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg, Jeremy Miles AS, a anerchodd y cyfranogwyr ar ‘ddyfodol addysg drydyddol a rôl y cod ymgysylltu â dysgwyr mewn llywodraethu sefydliadol da’.
Cynigiodd y rhaglen drosolwg strategol i gynadleddwyr ar sut y mae addysg uwch wedi’i strwythuro a sut y mae’n gweithio yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys y polisi sy’n trefnu’r gofod trydyddol, cyn canolbwyntio’n fwy uniongyrchol ar sut y mae corff llywodraethu’n gweithio a phartneriaeth gyda myfyrwyr mewn sefydliadau.
Meddai Dan Tinkler, Rheolwr Datblygu Llywodraethu Advance HE, “Mae gan yr holl lywodraethwyr gyfraniad dilys i’w wneud ac mae’n bwysig na ddylai lleoliad neu weithdrefnau anghyfarwydd – neu hyd yn oed statws canfyddedig – gyfyngu ar gyfraniadau gan unrhyw un o’r lleisiau hynny. Roedd a wnelo’r diwrnod hwn â helpu i arfogi myfyrwyr-lywodraethwyr i wneud eu cyfraniad a chyfranogi’n weithredol ac yn effeithiol yn nhrefniadau llywodraethu eu sefydliad”.
Mae Rhaglen Datblygu Llywodraethwyr Advance HE yn cefnogi ystod o gyfranwyr i’r Bwrdd gan gynnwys myfyrwyr-lywodraethwyr sy’n newydd a’r rhai sy’n dychwelyd.
Advance HE's Governance Conference returns for 2023. This year’s conference theme is “Governance Culture: Navigating policy, politics and people”. The Conference will explore what it takes to develop a more effective culture amongst governing bodies in higher education.