Ceredigion’s MS and MP have called on the Welsh Government to step in to rescue Lampeter’s university campus.
Following the announcement by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) of a proposal to end undergraduate teaching at its Lampeter campus next year, Ben Lake and Elin Jones are calling on the Welsh Government to support the university to maintain teaching at the campus.
Elin Jones MS said: “Undergraduate teaching is the cornerstone of any university’s purpose.
“Without it Lampeter would cease to be a university town.
“It’s disastrous and I am urging the Welsh Government with the university, even at this eleventh hour, to come up with an alternative plan for this campus.
“It’s bad enough to announce the possibility of ending undergraduate teaching, but to do so without having an alternative plan in place is unacceptable.”
Ben Lake MP said: “There is no doubt that higher education institutions across the UK are facing significant challenges, but it is essential that every possible option to retain the Lampeter university campus is pursued.
“Given its importance to the local economy, in addition to its proud heritage as the birthplace of higher education in Wales, it is more than appropriate for the Welsh Government to intervene to offer the university support to preserve and revitalize the campus in Lampeter.”
A spokesperson for UWTSD said that a “dialogue” with staff and students was being held around a proposal to move “current and future taught Humanities provision to our Carmarthen campus” from September 2025.
"Despite a range of innovative ideas to attract a greater number of students to our Lampeter campus these have not delivered, and this campus has seen a steady decline in the number of students being taught in-person,” the spokesperson said.
“This is not a sustainable situation, and we must take action.”