What guidance, if any, has the Welsh Government issued to universities with regard to the most effective way to balance any tensions when working with the private sector between the public sector expectations of transparency and the need for commercial confidentiality in competitive situations?
The Welsh Government supports university and college engagement with business primarily through its SMART Expertise Programme. SMART provides a suite of integrated programmes to provide support to Welsh businesses and research organisations to commercialise new products, processes and services developed through research, development and innovation processes. All support provided is subject to terms and conditions, including conditions relating to the treatment of Intellectual Property.
The Welsh Government requires robust governance arrangements to be in place for any major investment prior to releasing any funds. Such arrangements might include, as a condition of funding, establishing joint oversight boards.
City Deals are subject to a Five Case Model Business Plan approach, which requires both Welsh Government and UK Government approval before funding is released.
As the statutory regulator of HE in Wales HEFCW has in place a number of processes to ensure sound financial management and robust governance within the sector. HEFCW’s Financial Management Code sets out the general requirements placed on institutions to ensure robust governance, including adherence to the Committee of University Chairs’ Higher Education Code of Governance. Institutions must include a statement within their annual report stating the degree to which they have adhered to the Code. Where an institution has not adhered to the Code, it must provide an explanation within the annual report describing the alternative governance procedures adopted in lieu of those recommended by the Code. Non-compliance with the Code will be considered acceptable provided the explanation describes are equally robust arrangements alternative arrangements or indicates that there are appropriate and reasonable grounds for non-adherence.
All universities in Wales are charities and, as such, are subject to the Charity Governance Code, which sets out principles for sound charity governance including in relation to integrity; decision making, risk and control; openness and accountability.
All institutions in Wales have signed up to the Welsh Government’s Code of Practice: Ethical employment in supply chains. HEFCW also encourages universities to work to the Chartered Institute of Purchase & Supply Code of Conduct. The Welsh Government also provides a tool kit for working with suppliers on implementing Community Benefits with their procurement activity.
The Concordat to Support Research Integrity, established by the HE Funding Bodies, UUK and other funders, sets out a set of expectations applicable to all staff involved in research and their employing institutions. HEFCW has notified universities in Wales that it expects them to comply with this Concordat.