North Wales: The region where the most students leave Wales for study

Dr Owain James

The region in Wales with the highest rate of students who leave Wales for study is North Wales. Unlike Mid Wales, West Wales and South East Wales, it is the only region where students are more likely to leave Wales for study than stay, although it's pretty much 50/50, with 51.4% choosing to leave Wales for study.

This essentially means that for every student from North Wales studying in Wales, there's another studying somewhere else in the world!

What explains this higher than average rate in North Wales?

Here are some reasons:

  • The region shares a border with England
  • For a relatively large geographical space, there are only two universities in the region (Bangor University and Wrexham Glyndŵr University). Those looking to stay 'local' may already need to travel quite far!
  • It is tantalising close to having a third university, University of Chester, which is on the border with England, and attracts a large number of students from North Wales
  • There is a strong draw to two large cities, Liverpool and Manchester, geographically closer to North Wales than any comparable city in Wales (i.e. Cardiff, which is actually a smaller city than Liverpool and Manchester). The University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University, The University of Manchester, The Manchester Metropolitan University (alongside the University of Chester) are the top five most popular university choices outside of Wales for students from North Wales for this reason. The University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, The University of Salford and Edge Hill University are also popular choices
  • Strong transport links East to West encourage travel towards England, whereas weaker North-South transport links discourage choosing Welsh Universities in the other regions
  • According to the Welsh Index for Multiple Deprivation, North Wales has lower rates of deprivation than West Wales and South East Wales (we considered deprivation last week, but to summarise, leaving Wales for study is easier for those who are wealthier).

So what does this mean?

I don't think people leaving Wales for study is a bad thing (I would be a hypocrite if I did, as I studied in England for 10 years myself!) - and I certainly don't think studying in Wales is a bad thing either. But I would say that this situation presents a particular challenge for organisations in North Wales, and for the region as a whole. Those who leave Wales for study are less likely to work in Wales after graduating than those who stay in Wales for study. As such, without intervention, the region is at a greater risk of 'brain drain'.

But I also see an opportunity - the potential to attract diverse, ambitious talent with different experiences to bring back with them.

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English
Cymraeg

The region in Wales with the highest rate of students who leave Wales for study is North Wales. Unlike Mid Wales, West Wales and South East Wales, it is the only region where students are more likely to leave Wales for study than stay, although it's pretty much 50/50, with 51.4% choosing to leave Wales for study.

This essentially means that for every student from North Wales studying in Wales, there's another studying somewhere else in the world!

What explains this higher than average rate in North Wales?

Here are some reasons:

  • The region shares a border with England
  • For a relatively large geographical space, there are only two universities in the region (Bangor University and Wrexham Glyndŵr University). Those looking to stay 'local' may already need to travel quite far!
  • It is tantalising close to having a third university, University of Chester, which is on the border with England, and attracts a large number of students from North Wales
  • There is a strong draw to two large cities, Liverpool and Manchester, geographically closer to North Wales than any comparable city in Wales (i.e. Cardiff, which is actually a smaller city than Liverpool and Manchester). The University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University, The University of Manchester, The Manchester Metropolitan University (alongside the University of Chester) are the top five most popular university choices outside of Wales for students from North Wales for this reason. The University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, The University of Salford and Edge Hill University are also popular choices
  • Strong transport links East to West encourage travel towards England, whereas weaker North-South transport links discourage choosing Welsh Universities in the other regions
  • According to the Welsh Index for Multiple Deprivation, North Wales has lower rates of deprivation than West Wales and South East Wales (we considered deprivation last week, but to summarise, leaving Wales for study is easier for those who are wealthier).

So what does this mean?

I don't think people leaving Wales for study is a bad thing (I would be a hypocrite if I did, as I studied in England for 10 years myself!) - and I certainly don't think studying in Wales is a bad thing either. But I would say that this situation presents a particular challenge for organisations in North Wales, and for the region as a whole. Those who leave Wales for study are less likely to work in Wales after graduating than those who stay in Wales for study. As such, without intervention, the region is at a greater risk of 'brain drain'.

But I also see an opportunity - the potential to attract diverse, ambitious talent with different experiences to bring back with them.

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Y rhanbarth yng Nghymru sydd â’r gyfradd uchaf o fyfyrwyr sy’n gadael Cymru i astudio yw Gogledd Cymru. Yn wahanol i Ganolbarth Cymru, Gorllewin Cymru a De-ddwyrain Cymru, dyma'r unig ranbarth lle mae myfyrwyr yn fwy tebygol o adael Cymru i astudio nag aros, er ei fod yn 50/50 fwy neu lai, gyda 51.4% yn dewis gadael Cymru i astudio.

Mae hyn yn golygu, am bob myfyriwr o Ogledd Cymru sy'n astudio yng Nghymru, mae un arall yn astudio yn rhywle arall yn y byd!

Beth sy'n esbonio'r gyfradd uwch na'r cyfartaledd yma yng Ngogledd Cymru?

Dyma rai rhesymau:

  • Mae'r rhanbarth yn rhannu ffin â Lloegr
  • Am ofod ddaeryddol gymharol fawr, dim ond dwy brifysgol sydd yn y rhanbarth (Prifysgol Bangor a Phrifysgol Glyndŵr Wrecsam). Efallai y bydd angen i'r rhai sy'n dymuno aros yn 'lleol' deithio'n eithaf pell yn barod!
  • Mae'n agos iawn at gael trydedd brifysgol, Prifysgol Caer, sydd ar y ffin â Lloegr, ac sy'n denu nifer fawr o fyfyrwyr o Ogledd Cymru
  • Mae atyniad cryf i ddwy ddinas fawr, Lerpwl a Manceinion, sy'n ddaearyddol agosach at Ogledd Cymru nag unrhyw ddinas debyg yng Nghymru (h.y. Caerdydd, sydd mewn gwirionedd yn ddinas lai na Lerpwl a Manceinion). Prifysgol Lerpwl, Lerpwl Prifysgol John Moores, Prifysgol Manceinion, Prifysgol Fetropolitan Manceinion, yn ogystal â Phrifysgol Caer, yw'r pum dewis prifysgol mwyaf poblogaidd y tu allan i Gymru ar gyfer myfyrwyr o Ogledd Cymru am y rheswm hwn. Mae Prifysgol Leeds, Prifysgol Sheffield, Prifysgol Salford a Phrifysgol Edge Hill hefyd yn ddewisiadau poblogaidd
  • Mae cysylltiadau trafnidiaeth cryf o’r Dwyrain i’r Gorllewin yn annog teithio i Loegr, tra bod cysylltiadau trafnidiaeth Gogledd-De gwannach yn annog pobl i beidio â dewis Prifysgolion Cymru yn y rhanbarthau eraill
  • Yn ôl y Mynegai Amddifadedd Lluosog Cymru, mae gan Ogledd Cymru gyfraddau amddifadedd is na Gorllewin Cymru a De Ddwyrain Cymru (fe wnaethom ystyried amddifadedd yr wythnos diwethaf, ond i grynhoi, mae gadael Cymru i astudio yn haws i'r rhai sy'n gyfoethocach).

Felly beth mae hyn yn ei olygu?

Dydw i ddim yn meddwl bod pobl yn gadael Cymru i astudio yn beth drwg (byddwn i'n ragrithiwr pe bawn i, gan fy mod wedi astudio yn Lloegr am 10 mlynedd fy hun!) - a dwi'n sicr ddim yn meddwl bod astudio yng Nghymru yn beth drwg chwaith. Ond byddwn i yn dweud bod y sefyllfa hon yn cyflwyno her arbennig i sefydliadau yng Ngogledd Cymru, ac i’r rhanbarth yn ei gyfanrwydd. Mae'r rhai sy'n gadael Cymru i astudio yn llai tebygol o weithio yng Nghymru ar ôl graddio na'r rhai sy'n aros yng Nghymru i astudio. Fel y cyfryw, heb ymyrraeth, mae'r rhanbarth mewn mwy o berygl o 'ddraen doniau'.

Ond dwi hefyd yn gweld cyfle - y potensial i ddenu talent amrywiol, uchelgeisiol gyda phrofiadau gwahanol i ddod yn ôl gyda nhw.