Policy paper

Education Sector Advisory Group minutes 1 September 2020

Updated 31 May 2024

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Time, date and venue: 11am to 3pm, 1 September 2020 (online)

Chair: Michelle Donelan, Minister for Universities, Department for Education (DfE)

Secretary: Amy Pritchard, DIT

Attendees

• Minister Donelan – Minister for Universities, DfE, co-Chair
• Minister Stuart– Minister for Exports, DIT, co-Chair
• Vivienne Stern – Director, Universities UK International (UUKi)
• Alex Proudfoot – Chief Executive, Independent HE (IHE)
• Colin Bell – Chief Executive, Council of British International Schools (COBIS)
• Neil Leitch – Chief Executive, Early Years Alliance
• Lesley Davies – Chair, UK Skills Partnership (UKSP)
• Caroline Wright – Director General, British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)
• Jodie Gray – Interim Chief Executive, English UK
• Maddalaine Ansell, Director Education, British Council (apologies for Sir Ciarán Devane)
• Professor Sir Steve Smith – International Education Champion

Guest speakers

• Natalie Black, HM Trade Commissioner, Asia-Pacific
• Kara Owen, High Commissioner, Singapore
• Daniel Pruce HM Ambassador, Philippines
• Lucy Watkins, Deputy Regional Director for East Asia, British Council
• Simon Penney, HM Trade Commissioner, Middle East

Secretariat:

• Geoff Gladding, Education Sector Team Lead, DIT
• Simon Denning, DIT
• Amy Pritchard, DIT

1. Welcome and introductions

1.1 Minister Donelan thanked sector colleagues for their continuing work. She emphasised that coronavirus (COVID-19) recovery remained a government priority and that officials have continued to engage with the sector over recent months.

The minister also highlighted that the Department for Education (DfE) and the Department for International Trade (DIT) continue to work towards publishing the International Education Strategy (IES) review in the autumn.

1.2 Minister Stuart welcomed everyone and thanked Sir Steve Smith in particular, who has been very proactive during induction meetings in his role as International Education Champion.

2. Minutes and actions from previous meetings

Geoff Gladding, DIT Education lead, reported on progress against actions from previous meetings:

4 February 2020 meeting

Action 5: DIT Education team to facilitate further meetings between Trade Policy Group and the education sector.

Status: Action ongoing.

9 July 2020 meeting

Action 1: All to feed into UUKi’s draft ‘Priorities for action’.

Status: Action concluded. A comprehensive update is agenda item 4 of today’s meeting.

Action 2: Every sector member to meet Sir Steve to explain their sector to him and discuss priorities, targets and initial activity.

Status: Action complete. A comprehensive update on Sir Steve’s priorities is agenda item 5 of today’s meeting.

Action 3: Government to consider the sector’s asks as presented during the meeting, for inclusion in the review of the IES or wider government work.

Status: Action complete.

3. Overview of International Education Strategy Review

3.1 Minister Donelan thanked sector members for their input into the IES review to date.

The minister reiterated the government’s headline targets of increasing education exports to £35 billion and increasing international student numbers to 600,000, both by 2030.

She set out the changed global context in which the IES review is being conducted. She cited the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK’s departure from the EU and the wider programme of work across government and the key achievements that have already taken place since 2019.

The minister explained that the IES review will detail how government has supported the sector, including through financial support measures and support for international students throughout the pandemic.

She further explained that the IES review key themes will include:

• building global partnerships
• setting out the International Education Champion’s agenda
• international student experience
• internationalisation and increasing education exports
• setting out the opportunities for the sector as a result of the UK leaving the EU

The government is hoping to publish the review in the autumn but will keep this timing under review to ensure that the document is published at the most appropriate time.

Minister Donelan then invited the sector to share its views:

3.2 COBIS raised the point that enhancing the student experience needs to begin before the point of application to British universities with, for example, a large number of applicants attending British-style schools overseas.

3.3 UUKi emphasised the importance of the IES review including an update on progress of delivery against the actions in the 2019 strategy. UUKi also stressed 2 further points, including: the end of the UK’s transition period out of the EU and the hope that this would be covered in the IES; as well as the introduction of the new visa regime, which has many advantages. UUKi stressed the need for effective communications going forward.

UUKi asked for information on timings of the government’s Integrated Review and Comprehensive Spending Review.

3.4 Shahid Omer, Deputy Director for International Higher Education at DFE, reassured that the IES review will include a focus on reviewing progress against 2019 actions.

3.5 Independent HE (IHE) indicated that support with regards to diversification of the education sector’s export markets was welcomed and believed there was a need to diversify the sector’s provider base as well. IHE raised a point regarding the end of the UK’s transition period, noting that there are providers who have not yet taken necessary procedural steps to prepare for the end of the transition period.

Minister Donelan has spoken to Minister Stuart regarding this point and suggested that DIT, DfE, HO / UKVI work with the Office for Students (OfS).

Action 1: DIT, DfE, HO / UKVI to work with OfS on ensuring providers are engaging with HO / UKVI on visa requirements.

4. Proposals for sector join up in support of ESAG and the International Education Strategy

UUKi presented an update on behalf of sector members.

4.1 UUKi stressed that the sector viewed this work as a shared endeavour, and that the IES review should set out not only what the government can do to support, but also to drive, the sector to align behind shared goals.

UUKi conveyed that the sector has made a positive start in working more closely as a consortium. It also opined that government departments have been working more closely over the past year and that this has been reflected in a number of positive policy announcements, such as the graduate route. UUKi commented that this is making a clear and positive impact, and that these policies may be cushioning the sector from the worst effects of COVID-19. UUKi noted, however that there is still room for even greater collaboration.

UUKi pointed to 5 key action areas:

• identifying priority markets. The sector committed to putting forward a list of suggested priority countries, concentrating efforts on a group of no more than 10 countries
• setting clear objectives for these markets
• better cross-sectoral planning
• working closely as a sector to present a coherent, cross-sectoral UK education offer. The sector committed to working more closely to produce and share better insight and intelligence. UUKi noted that work on showcasing the UK’s offer would begin virtually until such time as travel is more possible.
• supporting the IES review and the work of the International Education Champion. The sector suggested using ESAG as a forum through which to regularly update on progress against its actions.

UUKi also raised an ambition to see financial support packages for exporters and potential exporters and for incentivising study in the UK.

UUKi also noted that a key part of the sector working more closely would be drafting joint submissions for key government reviews and committed to submit one for the government’s upcoming comprehensive spending review.

The sector will meet monthly in order to continue this way of working. By the end of September, it will have drafted a cross-sectoral ‘forward look’ of upcoming opportunities, including its suggestions for government intervention where it deems it appropriate.

4.2 BESA expanded on the point regarding cross sectoral, virtual showcases, opining that, while physical travel is likely to restart at some point in the future, attitudes to travel may have changed in the long term, commenting that the sector and government could maximise this opportunity.

BESA put forward the idea of creating a digital platform, owned by HMG, and in which the UK could showcase its education offer in a comprehensive way. This might be followed by cross-sectoral virtual missions, showcasing the UK’s offer to key foreign ministries and sectors.

4.3 UK Skills Partnership (UKSP) then presented the sector’s update on a ‘One Stop Shop’ idea, which would allow the sector to bid for tenders as one. UKSP also emphasised the need to align this with government priorities.

Action 2: Minister Donelan committed to consider this proposal when submitted.

5. International Education Champion priorities

Geoff Gladding, Sector Lead, Education, DIT, highlighted the following points.

Sir Steve Smith has engaged with each of the sector organisations on the call and with the devolved administrations in his programme of induction.

Discussions focused on opportunities of scale and areas in which Sir Steve will be able to effect a real difference. DfE and DIT will now continue to work with Sir Steve and colleagues overseas to develop his programme of work even further and his engagements will begin virtually, until travel restrictions are lifted.

6. Regional strategies and Asia Pacific deep-dive

• Natalie Black, HMTC for Asia-Pacific
• Kara Owen, High Commissioner, Singapore
• Danny Pruce, HM Ambassador, Philippines
• Lucy Watkins, Deputy Regional Director for East Asia, British Council

6.1 Natalie Black led a presentation, setting out the importance of the Asia Pacific region. She explained that DIT overseas and HM Trade Commissioners take a cross-country approach in the region and that the team was keen to work closely with the sector.

It was emphasised that while the UK is the current leader in the region it must work to maintain and increase its market share. Heightened by COVID-19, there is a huge demand in the region both in the skills training and edtech sectors.

6.3 BESA indicated that it would be keen to support any work on edtech in this region.

6.4 The Early Years Alliance raised the question of whether there is any early-years specific intelligence or data.

6.5 In response to the presentation, English UK and UUKi raised a point on international student recruitment and the potential of holding visa briefings to potential overseas students. Shahid Omer committed to pursuing this proposal with the Home Office.

Action 3: DfE and DIT to explore visa briefing idea with Home Office / UKVI.

7. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Joint Trade and Investment Review

Simon Penney, HM Regional Trade Commissioner Middle East briefed the group on the GCC. He explained that the Gulf is the UK’s third largest export market globally, behind the US and China.

He also informed the group that the UK and GCC recently announced UK-GCC Joint Trade and Investment Review (JTIR). With the UK now able to pursue independent trade policy, it has an opportunity to utilise other levers in order to further its trade agenda, such as the JTIR mechanism. DIT will work with the GCC secretariat to agree an action plan to boost trade and investment between the regions over coming years.

Any other business

Minister Stuart and Minister Donelan thanked participants and all presenters.

Date of next meeting

9 December 2020, 11.00 to 13.00.