Building stronger workplace partnerships across tertiary education
Effective collaboration between employers and recognised trade unions in education can help to create more engaged workplaces, better employment relations and improved outcomes for staff, learners and providers.
Across Wales, tertiary education providers are operating in an increasingly complex environment. Building constructive relationships between employers, trade unions and staff can help organisations navigate change, address challenges collaboratively and support long-term success.
This programme aims to identify, develop and share practical approaches that strengthen partnership working across the tertiary education sector in Wales.
Background
Social partnership is a way of working that brings employers, trade unions and staff representatives together to achieve shared goals through meaningful dialogue, trust and mutual respect.
The Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 places duties on certain public bodies in Wales to engage with recognised trade unions and worker representatives in the delivery of their wellbeing objectives. The Act reflects Wales’ commitment to collaborative approaches to workforce engagement as a driver of organisational improvement and a stronger economy.
To support Medr’s strategic role in promoting collaboration across the sector, the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and the Involvement and Participation Association (IPA) have been commissioned by Medr to deliver a two-year programme exploring what effective collaborative working looks like in practice and how it can be strengthened.
The programme will develop an evidence-based approach to supporting tertiary education providers, recognised trade unions and employee representatives to build stronger, more effective working relationships.
Why get involved?
By participating in the programme, organisations will have the opportunity to:
- Share experiences and help shape future support for the sector.
- Learn from emerging practice across Wales.
- Contribute to research exploring what enables successful collaboration.
- Access practical resources and tools designed to support partnership working.
- Be part of a growing community committed to positive employment relations and organisational improvement.
Programme phases
The programme will run from July 2026 to July 2028 across three phases.
Phase 1 – Research and Sector Engagement
July to September 2026
There is no single model for successful workplace collaboration. Different organisations face different opportunities and challenges.
The first phase of the programme will develop a detailed understanding of current approaches to collaborative working across Wales’ tertiary education sector. This research will explore what is working well, where challenges exist and what support organisations would find most valuable.
The research, led by Joy Williams and Emma Pollard, Principal Research Fellows at the Institute for Employment Studies, will include stakeholder roundtables and a sector-wide survey.
The findings will be used to identify priorities and shape proposals for future support.
Phase 2 – Programme Development and Pilot
Autumn 2026 to January 2027
Drawing on the research findings, the IPA, will design and pilot a programme of support for higher and further education institutions seeking to strengthen collaborative working. This programme of support will be developed in partnership with Coleg Cambria.
Insights from the research phase, together with learning from the pilot, will be shared with the sector through Medr’s Social Partnership Conference and other engagement activities.
Phase 3 – Sector-Wide Delivery
2027–2028
Learning from the pilot will inform a broader programme of support available to tertiary education providers across Wales.
Resources may include:
- Practical guidance and toolkits
- Self-assessment and diagnostic tools
- Case studies and examples of effective practice
- Workshops and learning events
- Resources to support employers, trade unions and employee representatives
Where appropriate, materials will also be made available to independent training providers and Adult and Community Learning partnerships.
The programme team
The programme is being led jointly by the Involvement and Participation Association and the Institute for Employment Studies, in partnership with Coleg Cambria.
Further information about Medr’s work to promote collaboration between tertiary education providers and trade unions can be found here.
Stay up to date
For further information about the programme, contact:
Medr will be keeping the sector updated with programme developments – you can subscribe here. You can also contact the Medr Workforce Team at Workforce [email protected].