Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
Dear colleague  

  

I am enormously grateful for the way higher education institutions in Wales have been dealing with the challenge of the COVID\-19 outbreak and working to mitigate the impact on students and staff.


### Support for students


I know that whilst many students will already have travelled home, others will still be in their term\-time accommodation and may be feeling especially vulnerable. Students who remain at university should, of course, be observing current Government restrictions on travel and outdoor activity. They should be encouraged to note the advice that has been issued by Public Health Wales.  

  

I know that universities in Wales have carried out a range of activities aimed at supporting students’ mental health and wellbeing, supported by funding that I have made available through HEFCW. I am particularly concerned that this support is offered to students who remain away from home at this difficult time and who are likely to feel isolated. Such support should be extended to students who are living off\-campus, as well as those in university halls of residence.  

  

I would like to emphasise the need for institutions to communicate clearly with residential students on rents at this time and to take a fair and transparent approach to the administration of accommodation provision. The decision by some institutions to waive some or all accommodation costs is a welcome one.  

  

I recognise that universities are responsible for the planning and delivery of their provision. However, I would expect them to consider the needs of students in providing alternative and accessible formats for both teaching and assessment. I would like you to ensure that students are able to leave with qualifications that are a fair reflection of their abilities, whilst maintaining quality and standards. No student should be penalised unfairly for being in their final year of study at this difficult time.  

  

I know that Students’ Unions across Wales are working incredibly hard – alongside our universities – to offer support, reassurance and advice for students and staff. Wales is home to a diverse and international student community, and the work that SUs are doing (with NUS Wales) demonstrates that we continue to be a welcoming and supportive home for all students.  

  

For clarity, the Home Office has updated its visa guidance to provide greater certainty for international higher education students and staff in the UK currently unable to return home due to COVID\-19\. This covers three main issues: visa extensions, in\-country visa switching and distance learning.


### Student finance


I recognise that students and their families will have questions and concerns as these extremely challenging and unprecedented events develop at pace. In response, my officials are reviewing all student support policies and are working with other Welsh Government departments, the other UK governments, key stakeholders, and our delivery partner the Student Loans Company (SLC), to ensure that students and institutions are properly supported during this time.  

  

I would like you to reassure students that the SLC is planning to make Term 3 tuition fee payments as scheduled and that students engaged in learning will continue to receive maintenance payments on the scheduled dates, whether or not campuses are closed or learning has moved online.  

  

However, the situation is fast moving. The Welsh Government’s FAQ pages will be updated to provide answers as quickly as is possible for students and will be updated regularly to ensure they capture the current position and advice.


### Admissions


You will no doubt be aware that I have written to UCAS to express my concern about the potential risks associated with an increase in unconditional offers from higher education institutions to prospective students as a result of the current coronavirus outbreak. I have made it clear that Welsh learners who were due to sit their A level examinations this summer will be awarded a fair grade to recognise their work, drawing on a range of available information, including students’ outcomes at AS level.  

  

I do not believe, therefore, that there is any good reason for the usual admissions cycle to be disrupted or for universities to begin making their offers unconditional. This would not be in the best interests of students or higher education institutions. I appreciate that the government in England has to deal with the consequences of moving away from AS levels and the impact this has on generating fair grades, but this is best resolved by the four governments and regulators working together to keep, as far as possible, to the usual admission cycle.  

  

I am aware of the role our universities are playing to support our Continuation of Learning project. This is a comprehensive project aimed at minimising the disruption to learning that is to a degree inevitable under the current circumstances. I am grateful for the work you are doing to enable Year 13 students to keep learning and preparing for the next stage in their academic and vocational development. In amongst the challenges, this is emerging as a positive opportunity for students, schools, the regions and and universities. My officials will be following up with institutions on this work.


### Overseas activity


I am aware that institutions have paused their overseas travel for staff and students in line with current FCO advice against all non\-essential international travel for British nationals. All UK students and staff currently studying on exchanges, including Erasmus\+, or working temporarily overseas are also advised to return to the UK now when and while commercial routes are still available, in line with FCO’s most recent advice.


### Regulatory framework


The Welsh Government has been in discussion with HEFCW about the regulatory requirements for HE institutions in Wales in view of the current situation. HEFCW are reviewing these requirements and will be in touch with institutions shortly to clarify the situation.


### Support for staff


I am aware that institutions have been reviewing and implementing working practices for staff that allow them to maintain a duty of care, for example through social distancing, whilst ensuring that essential business continues. I would encourage you to provide support to staff that bolsters their mental health and wellbeing at this time.


### Supporting the national response to COVID\-19


I have been clear about my priorities for the higher education sector in developing institutions’ civic mission and contribution to their local communities. Universities have an important role to play in tackling the challenges arising from COVID\-19, not just in supporting their own staff and students, but in contributing to actions aimed at dealing with the epidemic and working with the NHS. That can mean contributing equipment, research or accommodation facilities and supporting staff and students to volunteer their time and services. I know that many institutions have already been doing this and I would like to encourage that spirit of civic mindedness.  

  

Thank you again for the work that you are doing to look after your students and staff, and to support the national effort to deal with COVID\-19\.  

  

Yours sincerely  

Kirsty Williams AC/AM  

Y Gweinidog Addysg  

Minister for Education







Translation:


 
Annwyl cydweithiwr  

  

Rwy'n hynod ddiolchgar am y ffordd y mae sefydliadau addysg uwch yng Nghymru wedi bod yn ymdopi â her yr achosion o COVID\-19 ac yn gweithio i liniaru'r effeithiau ar fyfyrwyr a staff.


### Cymorth i fyfyrwyr


Er y bydd llawer o fyfyrwyr eisoes wedi teithio adref, rwy'n gwybod y bydd rhai yn eu llety yn ystod y tymor o hyd ac mae'n bosibl y byddant yn teimlo'n arbennig o agored i niwed. Wrth gwrs, dylai'r myfyrwyr sy'n dal i fod yn y brifysgol fod yn dilyn cyfyngiadau presennol y Llywodraeth ar deithio a gweithgareddau awyr agored. Dylid eu hannog i nodi'r cyngor sydd wedi cael ei gyhoeddi gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru.


  

Rwy'n gwybod bod prifysgolion yng Nghymru wedi cynnal amrywiaeth o weithgareddau â'r nod o gefnogi iechyd meddwl a llesiant myfyrwyr, gyda chymorth cyllid rwyf wedi'i ryddhau drwy Gyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru (CCAUC). Hoffwn sicrhau'n benodol fod y cymorth hwn yn cael ei gynnig i fyfyrwyr sy'n gorfod aros oddi cartref yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn ac sy'n debygol o deimlo'n ynysig. Dylai cymorth o'r fath gael ei estyn i fyfyrwyr sy'n byw oddi ar y campws, yn ogystal â'r rhai hynny mewn neuaddau preswyl prifysgolion.  

  

Hoffwn bwysleisio'r angen i sefydliadau gyfathrebu'n glir â myfyrwyr preswyl ynghylch rhenti yn ystod y cyfnod hwn a defnyddio dull gweithredu teg a thryloyw wrth weinyddu darpariaeth llety. Mae'r penderfyniad gan rai sefydliadau i hepgor rhywfaint o'r costau llety, neu'r holl gostau, yn un rydym yn ei groesawu.  

  

Rwy'n cydnabod bod prifysgolion yn gyfrifol am gynllunio a chyflwyno eu darpariaeth. Fodd bynnag, byddwn yn disgwyl iddynt ystyried anghenion myfyrwyr wrth ddarparu fformatau amgen a hygyrch ar gyfer addysgu ac asesu. Rwyf am i chi sicrhau y bydd myfyrwyr yn gallu gadael â chymwysterau sy'n adlewyrchiad teg o'u galluoedd, gan gynnal ansawdd a safonau ar yr un pryd. Ni ddylai unrhyw fyfyriwr gael ei gosbi'n annheg am fod yn ei flwyddyn astudio olaf yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn.  

  

Rwy'n gwybod bod Undebau Myfyrwyr ledled Cymru yn gweithio'n arbennig o galed – ar y cyd â'n prifysgolion – i gynnig cymorth, tawelwch meddwl a chyngor i fyfyrwyr a staff. Mae cymuned amrywiol a rhyngwladol o fyfyrwyr yng Nghymru, ac mae'r gwaith y mae Undebau Myfyrwyr yn ei wneud (gydag UCM Cymru) yn dangos ein bod yn parhau i fod yn gartref croesawgar a chefnogol i bob myfyriwr.  

  

Er eglurder, mae'r Swyddfa Gartref wedi diweddaru ei chanllawiau ar fisâu er mwyn rhoi mwy o sicrwydd i fyfyrwyr a staff addysg uwch rhyngwladol yn y DU nad ydynt yn gallu dychwelyd adref ar hyn o bryd oherwydd COVID\-19\. Mae'r canllawiau hyn yn cwmpasu tri phrif fater: estyniadau i fisâu, newid fisa o fewn gwlad a dysgu o bell.


### Cyllid myfyrwyr


Rwy'n cydnabod y bydd gan fyfyrwyr a'u teuluoedd gwestiynau a phryderon wrth i'r digwyddiadau hynod heriol a digynsail hyn ddatblygu'n gyflym. Mewn ymateb, mae fy swyddogion yn adolygu'r holl bolisïau cymorth i fyfyrwyr ac yn gweithio gydag adrannau eraill Llywodraeth Cymru, llywodraethau eraill y DU, rhanddeiliaid allweddol, yn ogystal â'n partner cyflawni, y Cwmni Benthyciadau i Fyfyrwyr (SLC), er mwyn sicrhau bod myfyrwyr a sefydliadau'n cael eu cefnogi'n briodol yn ystod y cyfnod hwn.  

  

Hoffwn sicrhau myfyrwyr bod yr SLC yn bwriadu gwneud taliadau ffioedd dysgu Tymor 3 yn unol â'r amserlen ac y bydd myfyrwyr sy'n dysgu yn parhau i dderbyn taliadau cynhaliaeth ar y dyddiadau a drefnwyd, p'un a yw campysau ar agor ai peidio ac ni waeth a yw dysgu wedi symud ar\-lein.  

  

Fodd bynnag, mae'r sefyllfa yn datblygu'n gyflym. Bydd tudalen Cwestiynau Cyffredin Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael ei diweddaru er mwyn cynnig atebion mor gyflym â phosibl i fyfyrwyr a bydd y cwestiynau'n cael eu diweddaru'n rheolaidd er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn cwmpasu'r sefyllfa a'r cyngor presennol.


### Derbyniadau


Mae'n siŵr y byddwch yn ymwybodol fy mod wedi ysgrifennu i UCAS er mwyn mynegi fy mhryder am y risgiau posibl sy'n gysylltiedig â chynnydd mewn cynigion diamod gan sefydliadau addysg uwch i ddarpar fyfyrwyr o ganlyniad i'r achosion presennol o goronafeirws. Rwyf wedi cadarnhau y bydd dysgwyr yng Nghymru a oedd i fod i sefyll eu harholiadau Safon Uwch yr haf hwn yn cael gradd deg er mwyn cydnabod eu gwaith, gan ddefnyddio ystod o wybodaeth sydd ar gael, gan gynnwys canlyniadau'r myfyrwyr ar lefel UG.


  

Felly nid wyf yn credu bod unrhyw reswm da dros amharu ar y cylch derbyniadau arferol nac i brifysgolion ddechrau gwneud eu cynigion yn rhai diamod. Ni fyddai hyn er lles pennaf myfyrwyr na sefydliadau addysg uwch. Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi bod yn rhaid i'r llywodraeth yn Lloegr ymdrin â goblygiadau symud oddi wrth gymwysterau UG ac effaith hyn ar gynhyrchu graddau teg, ond y ffordd orau o ddatrys y broblem yw i'r pedair llywodraeth a'r pedwar rheoleiddiwr weithio gyda'i gilydd i gadw at y cylch derbyniadau arferol cyn belled ag y bo modd.


  

Rwy'n ymwybodol o'r rôl mae ein prifysgolion yn ei chwarae i gefnogi ein prosiect Parhad Dysgu. Mae hwn yn brosiect cynhwysfawr sydd â'r nod o leihau'r effaith ar ddysgu sy'n anochel, i raddau, dan yr amgylchiadau presennol. Rwy'n ddiolchgar am y gwaith rydych yn ei wneud i alluogi myfyrwyr Blwyddyn 13 i barhau i ddysgu a pharatoi ar gyfer y cam nesaf yn eu datblygiad academaidd a galwedigaethol. Ymysg yr heriau, mae hyn yn datblygu'n gyfle cadarnhaol i fyfyrwyr, ysgolion, y rhanbarthau a'r prifysgolion. Bydd fy swyddogion yn mynd ar drywydd y gwaith hwn gyda sefydliadau.


### Gweithgareddau tramor


Rwy'n ymwybodol bod sefydliadau wedi gohirio eu teithiau tramor i staff a myfyrwyr yn unol â chyngor presennol y Swyddfa Dramor a Chymanwlad yn erbyn pob taith ryngwladol nad yw'n hanfodol i wladolion Prydeinig. Caiff holl fyfyrwyr a staff y DU sy'n astudio ar gynlluniau cyfnewid ar hyn o bryd, gan gynnwys Erasmus\+, neu sy'n gweithio dramor dros dro, eu cynghori i beidio â dychwelyd i'r DU nawr er bod llwybrau masnachol ar gael o hyd, yn unol â chyngor diweddaraf y Swyddfa Dramor a Chymanwlad.


### Fframwaith rheoleiddio


Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod mewn trafodaethau â CCAUC ynghylch y gofynion rheoliadol ar gyfer sefydliadau addysg uwch yng Nghyrmu yn sgil y sefyllfa bresennol. Mae CCAUC yn adolygu'r gofynion hyn a bydd yn cysylltu â sefydliadau'n fuan er mwyn egluro'r sefyllfa.


### Cymorth i staff


Rwy'n ymwybodol bod sefydliadau wedi bod yn adolygu ac yn gweithredu arferion gweithio ar gyfer staff sy'n eu galluogi i gynnal dyletswydd gofal, er enghraifft drwy gadw pellter cymdeithasol, gan sicrhau bod busnes hanfodol yn parhau. Byddwn yn eich annog i ddarparu cymorth i staff sy'n cefnogi eu hiechyd meddwl a'u llesiant yn ystod y cyfnod hwn.


### Cefnogi'r ymateb cenedlaethol i COVID\-19


Rwyf wedi bod yn glir am fy mlaenoriaethau ar gyfer y sector addysg uwch o ran datblygu cenhadaeth ddinesig sefydliadau a'u cyfraniad at eu cymunedau lleol. Mae gan brifysgolion rôl bwysig i'w chwarae o ran mynd i'r afael â'r heriau sy'n deillio o COVID\-19, drwy gefnogi eu staff a'u myfyrwyr eu hunain yn ogystal â chyfrannu at gamau gweithredu sydd â'r nod o ddelio â'r epidemig a gweithio gyda'r GIG. Gall hynny olygu cyfrannu cyfarpar, ymchwil neu gyfleusterau llety a chefnogi staff a myfyrwyr i wirfoddoli eu hamser a'u gwasanaethau. Gwn fod llawer o sefydliadau wedi bod yn gwneud hyn eisoes a hoffwn annog yr ysbryd dinesig hwnnw.  

  

Diolch eto am y gwaith rydych yn ei wneud i ofalu am eich myfyrwyr a'ch staff, ac i gefnogi'r ymdrech genedlaethol i fynd i'r afael â COVID\-19\.  

  

Yn gywir  

Kirsty Williams AC/AM  

Y Gweinidog Addysg  

Minister for Education