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Welsh higher education institutions will be awarded an extra ?8 million over the next two years after opposition leaders this week forced the Assembly to revise its budget.

The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales will receive an additional ?2 million for 2006-07 and ?3 million the following year to allocate to institutions as a "gesture" from the Assembly to help address a funding gap with England.

An additional ?3 million will be deployed for the Assembly's Aiming Higher agenda, which includes support for mergers and strategic collaboration between institutions.