Making connections on the global stage

Kath Griffiths

At the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), we believe that international experiences are key to shaping confident, compassionate, and globally minded graduates.

At UWTSD global engagement is a core component of educational excellence. One of the most powerful enablers of this mission is Taith, the Welsh Government’s international learning exchange programme. Taith has become an essential driver of opportunity, aspiration, and inclusion for students and staff at UWTSD, helping to deliver life-changing international experiences across the globe.

Designed to open doors to global learning, Taith supports people in Wales to study, volunteer, or gain professional experience abroad. It also funds opportunities for international students, staff, and volunteers to visit Wales, creating a dynamic two-way exchange that enriches both home and host communities.

Taith is inclusive, ambitious, and far-reaching. It supports learners across a broad range of sectors including:

Higher Education
Further and Vocational Education
Adult and Youth Education
Schools

But more than that, it’s a programme rooted in equity. Additional support is available to ensure that people from disadvantaged backgrounds, disabled individuals, and those with additional learning needs are not excluded from participating.

For UWTSD, Taith has been a game-changer. The university uses Taith funding to support a wide variety of mobility opportunities, from academic group visits, student study and work placements abroad to staff teaching and training exchanges. These experiences provide invaluable exposure to different cultures, industries, and ways of thinking.

The university’s international partnerships span the globe, including North America, China, Japan, and Europe. Through Taith, students and staff are able to immerse themselves in environments that challenge their perspectives and broaden their understanding, essential skills for today’s interconnected world.

The value of Taith is evident in the remarkable exchange activities it enables. Last month (May), UWTSD students visited Wuhan University of Technology (WUT) in China, participating in cultural exchanges, academic workshops, exhibitions, and collaborative events with Chinese students. This hands-on engagement built mutual understanding and showcased Welsh talent on an international stage.

This month, a new delegation of UWTSD students will travel to Japan, visiting Tokyo, Osaka, and several partner universities and institutions. Their packed itinerary includes:

Meetings with Soka and Rikkyo Universities
Cultural visits to Mount Fuji and the Toyota Factory
Government meetings with the Welsh Government Office in Tokyo
Engagements with international business and education stakeholders
These visits are about more than travel. They are about knowledge exchange, building diplomatic and academic bridges, and creating unforgettable learning moments that last a lifetime.

Taith stands out not only for its international reach but also for its social mission. Many of UWTSD’s participants are first-time travellers or students who might not otherwise have the financial means to access international experiences. Through Taith, these barriers are actively dismantled.

Taith not only enriches students and staff with invaluable opportunities but also enhances Wales’s global reputation. Each learner becomes an ambassador, embodying our values of innovation, inclusivity, and collaboration on the international stage. This initiative serves as a powerful tool of soft diplomacy, rooted in education and shared experiences. Having worked at the university since 2001, I couldn’t be prouder of the transformative impact we’re fostering.

And the impact is long-lasting. Taith-funded exchanges create ripple effects, inspiring future careers, fostering international partnerships, and embedding intercultural skills in Welsh institutions.

As UWTSD looks to the future, the partnership with Taith, which has now been extended until 2028, is more important than ever. In a world facing complex challenges, from climate change to social inequality, international collaboration isn’t just beneficial, it’s vital.

With upcoming trips to Japan, Europe, and beyond, UWTSD students and staff continue to experience the world, exchange ideas, and return transformed, ready to lead, teach, and inspire at home and abroad.”

Kath Griffiths is UWTSD’s International Regional Manager (North America and Outward Mobility)