Policy paper

Education Sector Advisory Group minutes 2 May 2023

Updated 11 January 2024

Time, date and venue: 10.00-11.30am, 2 May 2023, Department for Education (DfE), Sanctuary Buildings, London and MS Teams.

Chairs: Minister Halfon, Minister of State (Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education) and Graham Archer, Interim Director General for Strategy Group.

In attendance:

Sector representative body members

• Maddalaine Ansell, Director of Education, British Council
• Caroline Wright, Chief Executive, British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)
• Colin Bell, Chief Executive, Council of British International Schools (COBIS)
• Neil Leitch, Chief Executive, Early Years Alliance
• Huan Japes, representing Jodie Gray, Interim Chair, English UK
• Alex Proudfoot, Chief Executive, Independent Higher Education (HE)
• Jane Rexworthy, Chair of the UK Skills Partnership
• Jamie Arrowsmith, Director, Universities UK International (UUKi)

UK International Education Champion - Professor Sir Steve Smith

Representatives for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - Wendy Alexander – Scotland (Vice-Principal International at the University of Dundee and Scottish Trade Envoy)

Apologies - Dr Ben Calvert, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Exec, University of South Wales/ Chair, Global Wales

Introduction

Minister Halfon introduced himself and reflected on the importance and value of this forum in implementing the IES. The Minister stated that Government remains committed and continues to work towards the two ambitions in the IES to increase education exports to £35 billion per year and to host at least 600,000 international students studying in the UK per year, both by 2030.

Minister Halfon explained that since ESAG last met, two datasets confirmed we are making good progress on the IES ambitions with 679,970 students in 2021/22, meaning the UK has met the international student ambition two years running with a 12% increase from 2020/21 to 2021/22. We are on track to meet the education export ambition with £25.6 billion revenue in 2020. The Minister said he was particularly keen to boost skills exports.

Minister Halfon acknowledged the uncertainty around student migration and the close engagement taking place with the Home Office on this matter. The Minister said that both he and the Secretary of State remained clear about the importance of international students and are committed to the IES, and its aims, including the Graduate Route as an integral part of our international student offer.

The Turing Scheme is entering into its third year and is unlocking opportunities for UK students, learners, apprentices, and pupils to gain international experience.

IES 2023 progress update and international students

DfE officials reassured that Government remains committed to the IES and its ambitions. Conversations are ongoing with Home Office about visa routes ahead of them publishing the net migration figures on 25 May.

Members fed back their views:

Public official lines on the continued commitment to the IES and particularly to the Graduate route will be helpful to provide clarity.

There is increasing recognition across the sector on aiming for long term sustainable growth in student numbers in the context of the IES.

Proactive and positive communications on accommodation (student and social housing) is needed as part of the totality of the student experience.

Diversification across the sector is a huge opportunity to achieve the £35 billion ambition.

There is a real sense of working together with mutual respect across stakeholders.

DfE and DBT are developing an IES update (as an annual commitment in the IES) with a ministerial foreword. It was proposed that this could include a commitment to producing an outward facing document to advocate the UK education offer overseas. A communications plan would help to reach countries affected by decisions.

International Education Champion engagements

Sir Steve gave a comprehensive update on his recent engagements including with his five priority countries, concluding that he has engaged in over 800 meetings of which he estimated 370 were with international stakeholders.

Sir Steve reported that feedback from overseas governments is that quality of the transnational education (TNE) offer needs to be the same as in the UK.

Members noted the potential to expand the UK offer, including through ed tech. Conversations would be welcomed on connecting non-HE sectors, and UK Skills Partnership could act as an aggregator. BESA will write to the DfE about Oak National Academy.

It was agreed it will be helpful for ESAG members’ written updates to be shared with the group ahead of the meetings.

Action 1: Secretariat to share ESAG members’ written updates (in one document) with the agenda and minutes in advance of future meetings.

Scottish Government fed back that Sir Steve’s role gives continuity overseas and in the UK with the four-nation approach setting the right tone. Sir Steve previously met the former Cabinet Secretary and Minister, and now new Ministers are in post. The Scottish IES might be published in time for summer recess.

ESAG members: brief updates

Early Years Alliance – Attended their first mission to Saudi which included lots of interest in the sector.

English UK - UK ELT continues to recover from the pandemic and they are developing a Parliamentary position paper. They are also, considering what more can be done for the IES around commitment to growth and what this looks like for the sector.

BESA – At BETT, BESA launched a global alliance for technology and had a successful Vietnam exhibition with support from the Consulate. The focus now was on following up on BETT opportunities. They were moving forward on work with SEND and BESA special needs members. EWF is full speed ahead.

UK Skills Partnership – Association of Colleges attended World Federation of Colleges in Montreal engaging with TVET and providers from around the world. Some UK colleges have won awards including CEO of Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) being awarded a Gold Lifetime Achievement Awards for her outstanding contribution to technical and vocational education and training on a global level. The network of Sector Skills Councils have secured a number of contracts recently in the international market, with a focus on the set up of similar sector skills council bodies.

British Council - Study UK programme will run a new campaign ‘Welcome to the Unlimited Kingdom’ in 2023-24. Busy with the Alumni platform which Sir Steve launched in Singapore. Alumni UK Live online festival for global alumni on 27-31 March was well attended and received good feedback (Minister Mitchell spoke). Engagement hub launched for agents and councillors to recruit responsibly with over 11,000 registrations. Supporting EWF. Annual Going Global event in Edinburgh in November.

COBIS – Welcome the DfE changes to the standards British schools overseas: standards for schools and are seeking clarification on access to Section 128 checks. A cross associations coalition on safeguarding has been established. Connected to selecting the UK as a destination for H.E. study, COBIS has supported the British Council with the development of online training for agents and student guidance councillors. COBIS joined the DBT Trade Mission to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This was very well received by representatives from the UK independent school sector and the Early Years sector. Other associations representing British schools are encouraged to participate in future mission visits. COBIS annual conference (6 to 8 May 2023) is an opportunity to welcome Lord Jim Knight of Weymouth as the new chair of COBIS and recognise the outstanding work of Trevor Rowell’s as the outgoing COBIS chair.

Independent Higher Education - Continue to grow rapidly, now employing 10 staff and representing 72 member institutions, with more than 100 UK campuses. They also continue to expand the support available via their Launchpad scheme, with a new series of workshops tailored towards overseas providers looking to establish a campus in the UK - this remains an underdeveloped part of the UK FDI offer.

To conclude this agenda item, DBT confirmed Lord Offord the new Minister for Exports and he will be introduced to ESAG members at the next meeting. Sir Steve has met trade envoys and there is consensus to work closely to promote education. We should draw on trade envoys in our work.

UK education exports data

DfE gave an update on work towards improving education exports data. In March 2023, the UK Government published a report from the London School of Economics (LSE) on the taxonomy of education exports data. The research identified: a new taxonomy to look at education exports through modes of supply; new data sources for measuring products (English language training, HE, trade and services); and suggestions for new research and statistics collections. The report forecasted a slight increase in education exports. DfE and DBT are working through the recommendations ahead of the 2021 data release in December 2023.

On 16 May 2023, HEPI, Universities UK International and Kaplan International Pathways will joint publish new research commissioned from London Economics on the benefits and costs to the UK of hosting so many international students, broken down by parliamentary constituency (updating previous work on the topic from 2021 and 2018).

DfE, DBT and ONS participate in quarterly workshops to identify further areas of improvements as ONS also publish export data.