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<p>I was delighted to welcome all eight of the universities in Wales and the Open
University to an event showcasing the sector at Lancaster House on 17 October 2023.
The event highlighted the strength and breadth of Welsh university research and its
ability to deliver tangible benefits to communities in Wales, the UK and across the
world. I am committed to ensuring Welsh universities play a vital role in positioning
the UK at the forefront of research and development, and I firmly believe the event
has helped make progress towards this goal. Senior representatives from each of UKRI’s
research councils were present at the event and had the opportunity to see just some
of the research excellence found across Wales’ areas of academic strength.</p><p>
</p><p>The UK Government is committed to supporting the higher education sector, demonstrated
by our ongoing investment of £39.8 billion in research and development between 2022
and 2025. Moreover, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) recently
announced a £60 million Regional Innovation Fund to support regions that have lower
levels of research and development investment. As part of this, the Welsh Government
will receive £3.4 million in Barnett consequentials. I hope this will be invested
in the Welsh higher education sector.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Wales is already
leading the way in areas as diverse as MedTech, AgriTech and Net Zero and also has
a world-leading compound semiconductor cluster based in South Wales. I will continue
to champion the strengths of the Welsh university sector. My officials regularly meet
with their counterparts in DSIT and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
(DLUHC). Discussions with the Wales Innovation Network (WIN) are ongoing on how to
build on the momentum created by the event held at Lancaster House on 17 October 2023.</p><p>
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