Professor Simon K. Haslett presented the strategic context for projecting Wales as an internationally engaged nation, emphasizing the need for a unified international strategy to raise Wales' international profile, grow the economy, and establish global responsibility. The report discusses the importance of universities in enhancing Wales’ international presence, the economic impact of overseas students, and the state's commitment to climate action and innovative research. A distinctive global education strategy at UWTS aims to leverage international partnerships and encourage students to act as ambassadors for Wales' values and cultural assets.

1. Projection of Wales as an internationally
engaged/forward-looking nation
Professor Simon K. Haslett
Pro Vice-Chancellor (International and Enhancement)
Presented at the Universities as Global Communities event.
Session 2 – How can the sector develop a more distinctive international image?
13th February 2020, Bangor University

2. Projecting Wales: the strategic context
• International Strategy for Wales (14th January 2020)
• “strategic direction for everyone who is engaged in the international space” so “that we are
all pulling in the same direction” (p. 3);
• “We will drive forward the way in which we project ourselves … through key values as
featured in the … Well Being of Future Generations Act” (p. 7);
• Three core ambitions of the Strategy to (p. 7):
• Raise Wales’ profile internationally (e.g. grow connections with diaspora/alumni to 500,000);
• Grow our economy (e.g. showcase “creativity, technology and sustainability” and “ensuring
Wales is recognised for the impact of its research excellence … and … graduate start-ups”);
• Establish Wales as a globally responsible nation (e.g. “by promoting the Well-being of Future
Generations Act”);
• International brands (p. 8)
• “Wales as a place to invest, work, live, visit and study”;
• The “Cymru Wales brand will be used to promote Wales to the world”;
• ‘This is Wales’: People, Products, and Place (“statement of intent”).

3. ‘This is Wales’ and Welsh Universities
• People (pp. 10-12)
• “universities provide an opportunity to strengthen and extend Wales’ international presence and
impact”;
• “encourage alumni … to spread the message on their return home about their experiences in
Wales” – recent meeting of Alumni Directors to discuss engagement plan;
• “increase the number of international students studying in Wales” e.g. from Global Wales priority
markets of India, North America and Vietnam;
• Products (pp. 14-23)
• “Overseas students in Welsh universities contribute more than £600 million in export earnings to
the Welsh economy as well as enriching our cultural diversity and spreading a positive message
about Wales on their return home”;
• “Building new relationships takes a long time, which is why it is important to maintain and nuture
existing ones” e.g. Germany, France and Ireland;
• Encourage “international collaboration in research globally”;
• Place (p. 25-26)
• “forefront of marine energy and climate science”;
• “our growing reputation for world-leading research is helping to fuel our knowledge economy”;
• “Welsh Government was the first in the UK to declare a climate emergency and it has ambitious
plans to move to a low carbon society”.

4. Other ways to project Wales
• The UK International Education Strategy (March 2019) goes further to
explicitly mention educational quality, the student experience, and
transnational education (TNE):
• UK received £1.8 billion from TNE in 2016 (p. 9);
• “UK’s departure from the EU offers … opportunities … through new and emerging
markets, such as TNE” (p. 21);
• “we are looking to support TNE as a key growth area” but “recognise that there are
considerable challenges to working overseas” (p. 33);
• The Department for International Trade will:
• Action 20 – “encourage the sector to grow TNE” (p. 33),
• Action 21 – work with UUKi and British Council to “inform the UK sector of global
opportunities for TNE” (p. 36) – UUKi publishing country-specific reports.
• TNE students also raise the profile of Wales, and contribute to economic
growth, with 34.5% increase in TNE students between 2013/14 (c. 20k) and
2017/18 (c. 27k) (UUKi, February 2020).

5. UWTSD’s Wales Global Academy: a distinctive approach
• Reconceived the UWTSD “International
Strategy” as the “Global Education
Strategy” (2017-22);
• A global network of partners that link
to Wales but also to each other;
• Aims to realise the added value of the
partnership network in projecting and
raising the profile of Wales;
• Students can become ‘ambassadors’
for Wales and learn to share our ‘key
values’, such as where values are
embedded within the curriculum.
• Students encouraged to visit Wales for
exchanges, study abroad, graduation
ceremonies, and further study.

6. Projecting Wales as an internationally
engaged/forward-looking nation through:
• (‘wet paint’ in terms of strategy, and refinement needed – Global Wales);
• our key values as featured in the Well Being of Future Generations Act;
• our declaration of a climate emergency and move to a low carbon society,
and being at the forefront of the green energy revolution;
• showcasing modern “creativity, technology and sustainability” examples;
• promoting our cultural assets, diversity, and natural beauty of Wales;
• pride in our educational quality and excellent student experience;
• celebrating the quality and impact of our research excellence;
• promoting global education opportunities and recognising that not all our
students will visit Wales, at least initially;
• growing and maintaining connections with alumni and empowering them
to be ‘ambassadors’ for Wales and our key values.

7. Citation:
Haslett, S. K., 2020. Projection of Wales as an internationally engaged/forward-looking nation
[PowerPoint Presentation]. Universities as Global Communities, Learned Society of Wales, 13th
February, Bangor, UK.