Student numbers down in the Welsh valleys

Mature students, mostly studying part-time, make up almost half of all higher education students in Wales.

A report on participation by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales found that in 1997-98, 48 per cent of Wales's 88,8 students were over 25 years old. Wales sends 30 per cent of its students to other United Kingdom universities.

The report revealed worrying variations in participation between regions.