Global Wales provides strategic support to the Welsh higher education sector as a key export industry and builds networks for Wales internationally. The programme is a partnership between Universities Wales, British Council Wales, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and the Welsh Government. It is managed by Universities Wales.
The programme was established in 2015 with a three-year pilot programme. A second phase, Global Wales II, supported by £3.5M from the Welsh Government’s EU Transition Fund, was launched in 2018.
Global Wales’ objectives
- Increase Wales’ market share of the UK’s EU and international student recruitment
- Diversify the international student body
- Increase the number of international HE and research partnerships
- Boost Wales’ profile in key international markets
- Increase Wales’ long-term soft power
Priority markets
Global Wales has established three priority markets: the USA, India and Vietnam, and is set to adopt the European Union as its fourth priority area in 2021.
Market development work ranging from recruitment activities to capacity building projects, diplomatic delegations and visits are undertaken with a view to building Wales’ profile, increasing academic and educational partnerships and attracting students and researchers to Wales.
Unique to Global Wales is its ability to engage in ‘system to system’ development, leveraging all elements of the Welsh HE system - including government, regulator and sector - to respond quickly and innovatively to the requirements of partner countries and organisations.
Scholarships
Global Wales has developed a range of scholarships in support of this work, partnering with some of the most prestigious scholarship sponsorship organisations globally, as well as launching its own flagship Global Wales Scholarship. The scholarships target priority countries as well as the European Union.
Study in Wales
The Study in Wales brand, recently aligned with the Welsh Government’s Cymru Wales Brand, also forms a central part of Global Wales targeting the same three priority markets as well as having an additional focus on recruiting students from England.
