Wales urged to continue ‘life-changing’ student exchange scheme

The Welsh government has been accused of “shooting itself in the foot” by ending its “life-changing” student exchange scheme.

While it was announced last year that the Taith initiative had been extended until 2028, the final funding call is taking place this year, and all projects must be completed by the end of August 2027.

The number of staff working on the international scheme will then be significantly reduced and no exchanges will take place during a six month exit period as the UK prepares to rejoin the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme.

Johanna Waters, professor of human geography at UCL, said the Welsh government had “shot themselves in the foot” because of the benefits that the programme has for soft power and in showcasing the country.

“I think Wales is just sidelined so much and surely it offers value for money in terms of the opportunities for young people.

“They’re going to feedback into the Welsh economy down the line if they’ve had these great experiences and they get these great jobs.”

Since launching in 2022, Taith has awarded funding for more than 18,000 participants to take part in international exchanges in nearly 100 countries around the world. It also funds opportunities for early-career researchers.

It has been hailed as “exemplary” by Westminster cabinet ministers for its work in providing access to those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Waters, who has researched global student mobility schemes, said the success of Taith in hitting its widening participation objectives has been “off the chart”.

She said Taith is particularly good in this aspect because it allows for groups to travel together, funds short-term trips, and is much less bureaucratic than Erasmus+ or the Turing scheme.

“It’s small scale, it’s been developed in conjunction with the university so it’s properly bottom-up rather than just imposed on them.”

Kath Griffiths, international mobility manager at University of Wales Trinity St David, said these factors allowed students with caring responsibilities, financial pressures, or a lack of confidence to engage in international experiences. 

“For many of our students, these opportunities have been genuinely life-changing. They develop confidence, adaptability, and global awareness. Taith has helped make international experience part of the learning journey rather than an optional extra.”

The end of Taith coincides with the beginning of Erasmus+ funded projects in the 2027–28 academic year. There will be no overlap between the two programmes. 

Susana Galván, executive director of Taith, said its focus on reducing barriers to participation has had a “truly transformative” impact.

“Taith is proving that when international experiences are designed to be genuinely inclusive, they change lives and strengthen communities across the whole nation.”

The Welsh Government said that it remained “committed to ensuring continuity of opportunities for learners and will carefully consider the implications as the UK prepares to rejoin Erasmus+ in 2027”.

A spokesperson added: “Our focus is on the delivery of the current Taith programme and ensuring that learners continue to have the international opportunities they deserve.”

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com