New report highlights Taith’s impact in strengthening international engagement across Wales
The results of a new independent UK-wide survey has highlighted the strong position of organisations in Wales when it comes to international collaboration, with the Taith programme identified as a key driver of this success.
Published by InterCom in May 2026, the report “Erasmus Plus: Are You Ready?” explores how prepared organisations across the UK are for future international opportunities. While it points to varying levels of readiness across the UK, it shows that Wales stands out for its continued engagement and capacity.
InterCom, a network established in response to the UK’s withdrawal from European education programmes, supports organisations through information, training, and guidance on initiatives such as Erasmus+. The survey and report forms part of its wider work to prepare the sector for the UK’s return to Erasmus+, assessing readiness and identifying the support organisations will need to successfully participate from 2027.
The report offers a real insight into the current state of the UK today in terms of readiness for the return of Erasmus+ and includes some valuable suggestions from respondents on what can be done to ensuring maximum engagement and uptake.
Wales leading the way
One of the clearest findings from the report is the strength of international activity in Wales compared to other UK nations.
Organisations in Wales gave “dramatically more positive responses” when asked about their experience of international work and existing partnerships.
For example, Welsh organisations:
These findings point to a well-established culture of international engagement across Wales, with organisations strongly positioned to maintain and grow global partnerships in the future.
Taith recognised as a key contributor
The report directly attributes these positive results to the impact of Taith.
Following the UK’s withdrawal from Erasmus+, many organisations across the UK experienced a loss of capacity, partnerships and expertise in international work. However, in Wales, Taith has played a crucial role in sustaining and developing these connections.
As a result, Welsh organisations have been able to:
The report describes this as a “clear testament to the success of the Taith programme”, recognising its role in keeping Wales globally connected during a period of significant change.
Embedding inclusion and accessibility at the heart of international opportunities
A key theme highlighted in the report is the importance of ensuring international programmes are accessible to all, particularly young people from diverse backgrounds and those with fewer opportunities.
Respondents emphasised the need to remove barriers to participation in Erasmus+, calling for:
These priorities closely reflect the approach taken by Taith, which recognised these barriers early and responded quickly to embed equality and access into the design and delivery of the programme.
The report specifically recognises Taith as a positive example of an inclusive and accessible programme, with respondents highlighting its ability to reach a wide range of participants and organisations.
In particular, Taith has supported:
Welsh respondents highlighted Taith as a model for how future programmes can be designed to better support inclusion, with calls for this approach to be reflected more widely.
By embedding inclusion and accessibility across its activities, Taith has helped ensure that international opportunities are not only available, but achievable, enabling a broader and more diverse range of participants to benefit.
Supporting global connections for learners and organisations
The findings reinforce the impact of Taith in enabling organisations and participants across Wales to take part in international exchanges and partnerships.
By supporting international exchanges for all education sectors, Taith has:
Looking ahead
As international programmes continue to evolve, the report highlights the importance of ensuring organisations are supported to engage fully, and that opportunities remain accessible and inclusive.
The experience in Wales shows what can be achieved with the right support in place. At a time when many organisations across the UK are looking to rebuild international capacity, the strong foundation established through Taith demonstrates the benefits of sustained support – both in strengthening existing partnerships and in enabling new organisations, including those previously underrepresented in international activity, to engage. It also underlines the importance of doing things differently if Erasmus+ is to fully engage Welsh organisations. Taith’s success has been driven by its ability to operate as a responsive, national programme, working closely with partners and adapting to the needs of Welsh learners and communities. This flexibility and proximity offers important lessons for future delivery.
"Erasmus Plus: Are You Ready?"Latest news from the programme.
