Translate the text from Welsh to English.



 
Mae hanes hir a disglair i Brifysgol Cymru, ac fel sefydliad mae wedi helpu i greu a diffinio’r Gymru fodern. Graddau Prifysgol Cymru sydd gan nifer o Aelodau’r Cynulliad a miloedd o bobl ym mhob cwr o’r byd ac mae hynny’n destun balchder iddynt.

 Yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, gwaetha’r modd, mae enw da’r Brifysgol a fu unwaith yn uchel ei pharch wedi profi sawl ergyd. Cafodd Prifysgol Cymru ei beirniadu dro ar ôl tro, a hynny dros gyfnod o flynyddoedd bellach, am fethiannau niferus o ran y modd y caiff y sefydliad ei lywodraethu. Mewn datganiadau blaenorol gennyf, dyddiedig 21 Mawrth a 21 Mehefin 2011, rhoddais wybod i’r Aelodau am y pryderon parhaus a difrifol ynghylch trefniadau dilysu allanol y Brifysgol yn ogystal â’i ffordd o reoli ei mentrau cydweithredol. Rydw i wedi galw lawer gwaith ar Gorff Llywodraethu’r Brifysgol i gymryd cyfrifoldeb am y methiannau hyn a chymryd camau ar frys lle bo’n ofynnol. 

 Yr wythnos diwethaf, gwelsom Brifysgol Cymru yn wynebu beirniadaeth lem unwaith yn rhagor yn sgil honiadau difrifol ynghylch rhai sefydliadau y caiff eu cymwysterau eu dilysu gan y Brifysgol. Bydd y Gweinidog Busnes, Menter, Technoleg a Gwyddoniaeth yn cyhoeddi datganiad arall ynghych cynllun Ysgoloriaethau Arloesi Tywysog Cymru (POWIS) maes o law.

 Fel yr atgoffais y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol ym mis Mehefin, dadleuodd Adroddiad diweddar McCormick fod angen dulliau llywodraethu da yn genedlaethol ac yn sefydliadol i sicrhau bod system addysg uwch Cymru yn medru cystadlu â sefydliadau o bob rhan o’r byd, ei bod yn ymdrechu i sicrhau rhagoriaeth a’i bod yn ymateb i anghenion dysgwyr \- anghenion sy’n newid yn gyson. Dywedodd McCormick hyn am Brifysgol Cymru am ei bod yn derbyn cyn lleied o arian cyhoeddus, “… hi yw’r peth tebycaf sydd gan Gymru i sefydliad preifat ym maes addysg uwch. Er hynny, mae’n sefydliad sy’n gwneud defnydd o ased cenedlaethol – brand Cymru gyfan – ac eto nid oes ganddi unrhyw atebolrwydd cenedlaethol”.

 Y casgliad y daeth McCormick iddo yn y pen draw yw na allai Prifysgol Cymru barhau ar ei ffurf bresennol ac y dylai naill ai gael ei diwygio’n sylweddol neu gael ei dirwyn i ben.

 Yr wythnos diwethaf, dechreuodd yr Is\-Ganghellor newydd yn ei swydd o fewn Prifysgol Cymru a dymunaf bob llwyddiant i’r Athro Medwin Hughes yn ei swyddogaeth newydd. 

 Mae’r cyhoeddusrwydd andwyol parhaus ynghylch Prifysgol Cymru, fodd bynnag, yn niweidiol nid yn unig i’r sefydliad ond i’r sector addysg uwch yng Nghymru ac i Gymru gyfan.

 Yn sgil yr honiadau pellach a wnaed yn y wasg yr wythnos diwethaf, credaf nad oes modd i Brifysgol Cymru barhau o dan ei harweinyddiaeth bresennol. Dylem o leiaf fedru disgwyl i’r rhai sydd mewn swyddi uchel o lywodraethu yn ein sefydliadau addysg uwch oruchwylio’n effeithiol weithrediad eu prifysgolion a chymryd cyfrifoldeb llawn am yr hyn sydd yn eu gofal. 

 Galwaf felly ar Gadeirydd Cyngor Prifysgol Cymru i ystyried ei sefyllfa er lles y sefydliad ac er lles Cymru. Nid ar chwarae bach rydw i’n dweud hyn, ond ni allwn gael cyfres o achosion o gamreoli yn tanseilio’r sector addysg uwch cyfan yng Nghymru.

  







Translation:


 
The University of Wales has a long and illustrious history.  As an institution, it has helped to create and define the modern character of Wales.  Many Assembly Members and many thousands of people all over the world are proud holders of University of Wales degrees. 


In recent years, I regret to say, the reputation of this once great University has suffered a number of setbacks. The University of Wales has been the focus of long\-standing and frequent criticism for repeated failures of institutional governance. My previous statements of 21 March and 21 June 2011 informed Members of continuing and serious concerns about the University’s external validation arrangements and management of its collaborative enterprises. I have made repeated calls on the Governing Body of the University to take responsibility for these failings and to take urgent action where required. 


Last week we saw yet more damning criticism levelled at the University of Wales after serious allegations were made about certain institutions whose qualifications were validated by the University. The Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science will issue a further statement on the POWIS scheme in due course.


As I reminded the National Assembly in June, the recent McCormick Report argued that good governance is needed at national and institutional level to ensure that Wales’ higher education system is globally competitive, strives for excellence and is responsive to the changing needs of learners. McCormick considered that the University of Wales, because it receives so little public funding, “…is the nearest thing Wales has to a private institution in higher education.  However, it is an institution that is deploying a national asset – the all\-Wales brand – and yet has no national accountability.”


Ultimately, McCormick concluded that the University of Wales could not continue in its present form and should be either substantially reformed or wound up.


Last week a new Vice Chancellor took up post at the University of Wales and I wish Professor Medwin Hughes every success in his new role. 


However, the continuing adverse publicity attached to the University of Wales is damaging not just to the institution but to the Welsh higher education sector and to Wales as a whole.


In view of the further allegations made in the press last week, I believe it is untenable for the University of Wales to continue under its current leadership. The very least we should expect is that those who hold senior positions of governance in our higher education institutions should exercise effective oversight of their university’s operations and take full responsibility for their stewardship. 


I therefore call upon the Chair of the Council of the University of Wales to consider his position in the interests of the institution and of Wales.  I do not say this lightly, but we cannot have a situation where a catalogue of mismanagement undermines the whole of the higher education sector in Wales.