Minister for Education visits University

Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Welsh Politics will host a public lecture by the Welsh Government’s Minister for Education and Skills, Leighton Andrews, on Monday 14 May.

His lecture is entitled ‘Education and the Welsh Public Sphere’, and will be held in the Main Hall of the Department of International Politics at 7.30pm. The evening will be chaired by the University’s Vice-Chancellor, April McMahon, and is open to the public.

Dr Anwen Elias, Director of the Institute of Welsh Politics, said that “We look forward to welcoming Leighton Andrews, and to hear his reflections on education in Wales and the challenges for the future. This is a highly relevant topic, and I’m sure his lecture will be interesting and thought-provoking.”

Born in Cardiff and brought up in Barry and Dorset, Leighton Andrews holds a BA Honours (English and History) from Bangor University, and an MA in History from the University of Sussex. He was a visiting professor at the University of Westminster from 1997 to 2002, and is an honorary professor at Cardiff University.

Leighton Andrews was first elected to the Assembly in May 2003 and during his first term, served on the Education, Culture, and Economic Development. He was re-elected in May 2007, where he joined the Welsh Assembly Government as Deputy Minister for Social Justice and Public Service Delivery, with special responsibility for housing issues.

When the One Wales coalition government was formed in July 2007, Leighton Andrews was appointed Deputy Minister for Regeneration, working within the Department for the Economy and Transport and the Department for Social Justice and Local Government. In 2009 he was appointed Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning.

He was appointed Minister for Education and Skills in May 2011.

His political interests include education, the economy, culture, housing, the media, health and social inclusion.

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