Education Sector Advisory Group
The group co-ordinates efforts to boost UK education exports and sets the strategic direction for the Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT) education team.
The DBT minister responsible for the education sector and the DfE universities minister co-chair the Education Sector Advisory Group. It brings together industry, government and relevant partners through inclusion of important representative bodies from the sector.
Terms of reference
Purpose
The group aims to increase UK education exports by overcoming sector challenges and exploiting opportunities.
Remit
The group’s responsibilities are to:
- be a focal point for organisations representing the education sector
- help government implement a programme for the international promotion of the UK education sector
- monitor the progress of implementing the government’s International Education Strategy, including supporting government in developing updates to the International Education Strategy as part of the annual review process
- provide updates on the sector’s progress in implementing the International Education Strategy
- identify and advise on issues of concern relating to the education sector’s international objectives
- provide advice to government and each other on areas including:
- communicating the UK’s international education offer
- the development of the UK supply chain for international opportunities
- targeted activities to respond to the international demand for UK education
- country and regional priorities
- act as a forum for sharing ideas and best practice
- represent the interests of the education sector across the entire UK and create a coordinated response for large-scale education opportunities overseas, such as redevelopment of national education strategies
Meeting dates
The group meets 3 times per year.
Minutes
Read the latest Education Sector Advisory Group minutes.
Membership
The current members are:
- the minister with responsibility for the education sector, Department for Business and Trade (DBT) (co-chair)
- Apprenticeship and Skill Minister, Department for Education (DfE) (co-chair)
- Director, Universities UK International (UUKi)
- Chief Executive, Independent Higher Education (HE)
- Chair of the UK Skills Partnership
- Chief Executive, English UK
- Chief Executive, British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)
- Chief Executive, Council of British International Schools (COBIS)
- Chief Executive, Early Years Alliance
- Chief Executive, National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN)
- CEO, Publishers Association
- Director Education, British Council
- Senior representatives from the Devolved Administrations
- UK Government International Education Champion
- DBT and DfE senior representatives
- Senior representatives from the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) as required
Secretariat
The DBT minister responsible for the education sector and the DfE universities minister co-chair the Education Sector Advisory Group. Ministers have discretion when deciding the logistics of sharing the chair.
The secretariat is provided by the DBT Education Team.
Publications
International Education Strategy (IES) review
The IES has been routinely updated since its launch in 2019 to ensure it effectively increases the value of education exports, promotes policy dialogue and reflects the developing priorities of education stakeholders, businesses and ministers.
As part of the review, officials will undertake data collection and analysis alongside engagement to gather feedback from sector stakeholders and the International Education Champion.
While there won’t be a public consultation process, we are committed to engaging a diverse range of stakeholders. We will ensure a broad range of voices are heard from across business, stakeholder groups, membership bodies, and experts from all education sub-sectors.
In particular, we will continue to engage with members of the Education Sector Advisory Group. This process has already started and will continue throughout the review period.
We aim to conclude the review in early spring 2025 at which point an updated IES will be published.