Professor Wendy Larner, the first female vice chancellor of Cardiff University, has called the current higher education funding model in Wales "broken."
She highlighted that tuition fees do not cover the full cost of education or research, with the shortfall being subsidized by fees from international students.
The university is facing financial strain due to inflation, staff strikes, and the pandemic. Prof. Larner is opening discussions about the university's future and considering changes to adapt to the funding challenges, though specific impacts on jobs have not been detailed.
The Welsh government is in talks with the sector to find a sustainable model for higher education. This comes at a time when many universities in Wales are transitioning to new leadership.