Our universities must been seen as institutions of and for communities across Wales - owned, rooted and responsible to their regions and their nation. It is a challenge that should continue to engage hearts and minds across the nation. Universities needed, and still need, to reflect on the distance between campus and community that had emerged.
That work influenced my civic mission challenge to the sector in Wales, following the EU referendum. In my first keynote speech as Minister – back in 2016, I referenced how the modern US universities that grew from those land grant institutions were defining themselves now as ‘stewards of place’. It is the foundation of liberty and constitutes national strength and glory.”Īs I think about the title of today’s event – and the idea of a ‘Brave New Wales’ and the contribution of education and lifelong learning – perhaps we could all take some inspiration from the Lone Star State, and think about education as the civic, cultural, economic, social and national good. “Nothing is so essential in a free government as the general diffusion of knowledge and intelligence of every kind.Įducation confers private happiness it gives political strength and important it exalts the mind, refines the passion, polishes the manners and promotes virtue. The pre-amble to the report sets out clear, coherent and confident ambitions – and necessities – for the purpose of education: Its Chair was Representative Ezekiel Cullen – who went on to introduce the legislation that established land endowments for public education, from schools through to universities, in Texas.Ī big step forward from church and religious institutions, and pre-dating the ‘land grants’ for universities elsewhere in the United States.
There, on the marble wall, at the main entrance, there is an excerpt from the education committee report to the Congress of the Independent Republic of Texas in 1839. We oversaw new university partnerships, re-kindled the special relationship between Wales and 16th St Baptist Church in Alabama, and agreed new civic mission relationships.īut it’s Texas, and the University of Houston to be precise, where we’ll begin. Last September, I was delighted to lead an education delegation to the southern United States. Or even Milton Keynes, as the international home of the OU.īut I’m going to start a bit further afield. Or Scarborough where his famous “white heat of technology” speech was delivered The Isles of Scilly, where Harold Wilson is thought to have outlined the idea for the University of the Air whilst on holiday You might expect a speech celebrating the Open University’s half-century to take inspiration from:
Bore da – good morning everyone, and it’s great to be with you today.
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