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A former vice-chancellor has been appointed to lead Wales¡¯ new post-16 education regulator.

The Welsh government said that Dame Julie Lydon, who retired as vice-chancellor of the University of South Wales in September 2021, would chair the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research (CTER). As vice-chancellor of the University of Glamorgan from 2010, Dame Julie led the merger that formed USW in 2013 and also served as chair of Universities Wales and vice-president of Universities UK.

Meanwhile David Sweeney, the former executive chair of Research England, will be deputy chair, and will chair the regulator¡¯s research and innovation committee.

CTER, established as an independent Welsh government-sponsored body, will be responsible for overseeing the entire post-16 sector, including further education, higher education, apprenticeships, sixth forms and Welsh government-funded research and innovation. The legislation to create the body followed a 2016 government-commissioned report on the future of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.

Jeremy Miles, the Welsh education minister, said: ¡°I am glad to confirm the appointments of Dame Julie Lydon and David Sweeney. I look forward to working with Julie and David over their term of appointment to deliver our innovative and ambitious vision for Wales¡¯s tertiary education and research sector.¡±

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com