ester ). ▁University ▁status ▁in ▁Wales ▁is ▁con ferred ▁by ▁the ▁Priv y ▁Council ▁following ▁advice ▁from ▁the ▁Qu ality ▁Ass urance ▁Agency ▁for ▁High er ▁Education . ▁The ▁criteria ▁for ▁university ▁status ▁were ▁set ▁by ▁the ▁UK ▁government ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ; ▁since ▁then ▁higher ▁education ▁in ▁Wales ▁has ▁become ▁a ▁de vol ved ▁matter ▁under ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁Wales ▁Act ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁responsibility ▁of ▁the ▁Minister ▁for ▁Education ▁& ▁Sk ills ▁in ▁the ▁Wel sh ▁Government . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 – 2 0 1 7 ▁global ▁rank ings , ▁four ▁Wel sh ▁univers ities ▁( A ber yst w yth , ▁Bang or , ▁Card iff ▁and ▁Sw anse a ) ▁featured ▁in ▁the ▁Times ▁High er ▁Education ▁World ▁University ▁Rank ings ▁( cover ing ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 9 8 1 ▁institutions , ▁ 9 1 ▁from ▁the ▁UK ); ▁the ▁same ▁four ▁also ▁featured ▁in ▁the ▁Q S ▁World ▁University ▁Rank ings ▁( 9 1 6 ▁institutions , ▁ 7 1 ▁from ▁the ▁UK ); ▁while ▁Bang or ▁and ▁Card iff ▁are ▁in ▁the ▁Academ ic ▁Rank ing ▁of ▁World ▁Univers ities ▁( 5 0 0 ▁institutions , ▁ 3 7 ▁from ▁the ▁UK ). ▁No ▁Wel sh ▁university ▁features ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁ 1 0 0 ▁of ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁global ▁tables , ▁although ▁Card iff ▁makes ▁the ▁top ▁ 2 0 0 ▁in ▁all ▁three . ▁ ▁All ▁Wel sh ▁univers ities ▁are ▁public