October 2026
Shwmae ffrindiau! Hello friends!
What can TVET international skills partnerships achieve when technical excellence, industry collaboration and inclusive skills development come together? Wales has plenty to share – and plenty to celebrate!
Discover the opportunities Wales offers
The British Council’s new guide, Building Partnerships with Universities and Colleges in Wales, launched at the 36th Annual EAIE Conference in Glasgow this autumn, invites international colleagues to discover Wales’s distinctive education offer and the opportunities for collaboration.
With 13 further education (FE) colleges and nine universities, Wales combines high-quality teaching, research excellence, technical skills development and global connectedness. Its collaborative, agile education system supports learners, employers and communities across a diverse range of industries.
Wales’s commitment to inclusion, sustainability and social justice is reflected in five key strengths:
- A welcoming, inclusive nation.
- High-quality education and an outstanding student experience.
- An outward-looking approach to international education.
- Strong links between skills, employability, industry and workforce needs.
- A thriving network of international and teaching partnerships.
International partnerships in action
Welsh FE colleges have a strong track record in WorldSkills and EuroSkills, winning a high share of medals and demonstrating internationally benchmarked standards. Their commitment to inclusion is also evident in their success in Foundation Skills competitions for learners with additional learning needs.
This expertise creates exciting opportunities for international collaboration – from staff and learner mobility to curriculum development, joint projects and sharing effective practice.
Through the British Council’s TVET International Skills Partnerships, funded through the Going Global Partnerships Programme, UK and international partners exchange knowledge, strengthen education and training systems, and build workforce capability and capacity.
One example is the Advanced Partnership between Gower College Swansea and technical colleges in Ghana. Partners explored leadership development and how stronger employer engagement can shape industry-relevant curricula. They also examined how pressure testing and real-world assessments help learners demonstrate their skills and benchmark against international standards. Steve Williams, Curriculum Lead for Electronics and Engineering at Gower College, is also the WorldSkills Competition Manager for Electronics and he was able to share valuable insights from his experiences.
The message is clear: international partnerships turn shared expertise into better learning, stronger industry connections and skills that meet real workforce needs.
Celebrating Welsh skills excellence
Wales’s talent continues to make its mark internationally. Six Welsh competitors recently returned from WorldSkills Shanghai, with four achieving Medals of Excellence in recognition of their outstanding performance on a global stage.
And the excitement continues! 126 competitors from Wales have qualified for the WorldSkills UK National Finals in Cardiff, 18–20 November 2026. For some, this could be another step towards international competition, including WorldSkills Aichi, Japan, in 2028.
Held every two years, WorldSkills Competition is the world’s largest vocational skills event – often called the ‘Skills Olympics’. They celebrate exceptional talent while showcasing the standards, expertise and ambition driving skills excellence.
Wales: a partner in possibility
From inclusive teaching and technical excellence to employer engagement and international knowledge exchange, Wales offers valuable opportunities for TVET institutions looking to learn, collaborate and innovate.
Through British Council TVET International Skills Partnerships, these connections help partners share solutions, strengthen systems and develop relevant, practical skills for learners, industries and communities.
Discover the possibilities. Explore the new guide and find out how partnering with colleges and universities in Wales could benefit your institution, learners and country.
Find the guide Building Partnerships with Universities and Colleges in Wales in the Downloads section below.
