Policy paper

Education Sector Advisory Group minutes 27 April 2021

Updated 31 May 2024

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Time, date and venue: 2pm to 4pm, 27 April 2021 (online)

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

Secretary: Geoff Gladding , Department for International Trade (DIT)

Attendees

• 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
• Caroline Wright - Director General, British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)
• Jodie Gray - Chief Executive, English UK
• Maddalaine Ansell - Director Education, British Council
• Professor Sir Steve Smith - International Education Champion
• Wendy Alexander - Vice-Principal International, University of Dundee and Scottish Trade Envoy
• Iwan Davies - Vice Chancellor, Bangor University and Chair of Global Wales
• Heather Cousins - Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland

Guest speakers

• James Cox, Economist, Higher Education, DfE
• Emma Shaw, International Teacher Recruitment Unit, DfE
• Samuel James, Trade Policy Group, DIT
• Laurence Kavanagh, International Trade in Education Services Policy team, DfE

Secretariat

• Geoff Gladding, Education Sector Team, DIT
• Felix Lee, Education Sector Team, DIT

1. Welcome and introductions

Minister Donelan welcomed everyone to the first Education Sector Advisory Group (ESAG) of 2021 and in her opening remarks:

• warmly welcomed representation from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to ESAG, stressing the importance of cooperation across the whole UK
• reflected on the successful publication and launch of the International Education Strategy: 2021 update in February and thanked ESAG members for their contributions
• noted that HMG and the education sector are working tirelessly to ensure that despite the global pandemic international students continue to be able to come to the UK
• outlined the great success of the Turing Scheme which recently closed for applications for higher education and will soon (7 May) close for further education. The response has been very positive, with a particular focus on widening participation

Minister Stuart in his opening remarks updated ESAG members about a new education export campaign DIT is planning. The campaign will play an important role supporting the delivery of the key ambitions set out in the International Education Strategy (IES): 2021 update. DIT will be working with DfE and ESAG members to discuss their input into the campaign and their possible role supporting its delivery.

Action 1: DIT to engage with sector representatives and devolved administrations on its new education export campaign.

2. Minutes and actions from previous meetings - Geoff Gladding, DIT

Progress against actions from previous meetings are for:

• Action 5 (4 February 2020): DIT Education team to facilitate further meetings between Trade Policy Group and the education sector. Update: Completed – discussion under agenda item 6

• Action 1 (1 September 2020): DIT, DfE, Home Office (HO) /UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) to work with OfS on ensuring providers are engaging with HO/UKVI on visa requirements. Update: Ongoing – OfS continue to liaise with DfE and HO, informing their engagement with providers

• Action 3 (1 September 2020): DfE and DIT to explore visa briefing idea with Home Office/UKVI. Update: Ongoing – DfE continues to work closely with HO in contributing to and providing feedback on HO communication products

• Action 1 (9 December 2020): Agenda item at ESAG on 13 April 2021 on a communications plan on messaging (for example, on immigration rules). Update: Ongoing – HO is engaging across the sector through a variety of groups, including their Education Advisory Group and Students Communications Steering Group, creating resources and communications materials to provide clarity on HO policies and issues raised by the sector. This includes key information about the new points-based immigration system and the EU Settlement Scheme. These groups include stakeholders such as British Council, Universities UK, BUILA, UKCISA and English UK. HO is also working through the Student Comms Steering Group to devise and deliver a cohesive communications strategy ahead of the graduate route launch on 1 July 2021, to ensure the sector is abreast of developments, as well as focusing heavily on communications to EU nationals ahead of the EUSS application deadline on 30 June 2021. We will continue to work collaboratively with them to ensure the sector is prepared and confident in its understanding of HO policy

• Action 2 (9 December 2020): DfE/DIT to update ESAG members on timings for publication of the IES update when possible. Update: Completed

• Action 3 (9/12/20): DIT to explore further opportunities for engagement with UK Export Finance. Update: Completed – now actioning under the IES update

• Action 4 (9/12/20): Agenda item at ESAG on 13 April 2021 to review progress towards the achievement of the IES ambitions. Update: Completed – discussion under agenda item 3

• Action 5 (9/12/20): A recurring agenda item will be added for an ESAG sub-group representative to lead a deep dive discussion into one of the sub-group’s identified risks and its mitigations at each future ESAG meeting. Update: Completed – details added to the secretariat’s agenda forward look to pick up themes at future ESAGs

• Action 6 (9/12/20): DIT and DfE to engage ESAG members in wider government and International Education Champion activities and visits, where appropriate. Update: Completed – Sir Steve has met with ESAG members to discuss his visits and activities and will continue to engage going forward, where appropriate

• Action 7 (9/12/20): DfE and DIT to follow-up with IHE on transnational education support for SMEs and foreign investment. Update: Completed – DIT held a webinar with IHE members on 15 March

• Action 8 (9/12/20): DIT to follow up with UK Skills Partnership to discuss the barriers to recognition. Update: Ongoing – DIT continues to engage with UK Skills Partnership

Action 2: Agenda item at an upcoming ESAG meeting to update on recent Home Office developments relevant to the education sector.

3. International Education Strategy implementation update

Sir Steve Smith outlined his recent activities as International Education Champion, with highlights including engagement and events with South East Asia, Saudi Arabia, and India. Sir Steve thanked ESAG members for their support. Looking forward, he expressed a desire to engage in his priority countries in person as soon as the pandemic allows.

James Cox, Economist, Higher Education, DfE, updated on progress following the most recent data publications against the IES 2030 ambitions to increase numbers of international HE students to 600k and and to increase the value of education exports to £35 billion. Education exports stats from Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data for 2019 to 2020 on international students reached 560,000+, an increase of around 12% since 2018 to 2019 (not including coronavirus (COVID-19) or EU exit). In 2018, education exports were £23 billion. James also updated on progress made by DfE and DIT against the IES action to improve the quality of education exports data.

Action 3: DfE and DIT analysts to work with the devolved administrations and sector representatives to further improve and strengthen education exports data, and ensure it captures UK-wide breadth.

Emma Shaw, International Teacher Recruitment Unit, DfE, updated on progress made against the IES action to develop plans for an International Qualified Teacher Status (iQTS). Reponses to a public consultation (closing on 3 May) have been very positive, both domestically and internationally. DfE will analyse responses in detail once the consultation closes and will publish a response in the summer.

4. Future Europe strategy

Vivienne Stern, Director, Universities UK International, provided a brief overview of ESAG members’ assessment of Europe as a region of interest for the sector and an analysis of the expected impact of the change in the UK-EU relationship on education exports. Minister Donelan and Minister Stuart expressed their agreement with Europe as a key market for the sector and offered to work closely with ESAG members to develop plans for a strategic approach to Europe.

Action 4: DfE and DIT to consider how best to coordinate strategic work on Europe as a key market for the sector, including member proposals for convening a working group with British Council and ESAG sector members.

5. Regulatory policy making

Alex Proudfoot, Chief Executive, Independent HE, presented on the impact of domestic regulation and policy making on international activity and exports in the education sector. The sector thus encouraged a greater join-up between domestic policy teams and international counterparts in government and independent regulators.

Action 5: DfE to continue engagement with BESA on international implications for domestic commercial activity.

Action 6: DfE and DIT to consider issues and proposals raised by ESAG regarding the interaction between regulation, domestic policy and exports.

6. Trade policy update and discussion about future engagement with the sector

Samuel James, DIT Trade Policy Group, provided an update on current free trade agreement negotiations.

Laurence Kavanagh, International Trade in Education Services Policy team, DfE, outlined how HMG plans will seek to represent the views and interests of the education sector in trade negotiations.

Action 7: DfE and DIT to work with the education sector to agree a process of engagement to ensure its interests are considered within free trade agreement negotiations.

7. Updates from ESAG members

British Council

The British Council are developing plans for a Global Alumni Programme, in line with Action 10 in the International Education Strategy: 2021 update.

Market research has been conducted and the research will be shared with the sector soon. The programme will build upon existing alumni programmes and in-country face-to-face activity and provide a core digital offer for UK alumni worldwide. It is currently being designed – the initial offer is likely to comprise a mix of curated social network communities, newsletters, online conferences, webinars, and professional development opportunities.

British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)

The focus on SEND in the International Education Strategy: 2021 update has been very well received by education suppliers as this is a market of huge opportunity. The sector would also be interested in involvement with the Global Education Summit in July.

Action 8: DIT to share information on possible sector involvement in the Global Education Summit in July with ESAG members.

Council of British International Schools (COBIS)

The schools sector appreciates the support from government expressed in a recent ministerial letter. COBIS also strongly supports the introduction of iQTS.

English UK

English UK has repeated the survey measuring the impact of Covid-19 on the UK ELT sector. Findings show a dramatic impact:

• student numbers fell by 79% in 2020 compared to 2019
• the overall loss in gross revenue (as a direct result of the impact of COVID-19) for all English UK members exceeded £590 million in 2020
• 91% of all staff working for English UK member centres have been furloughed, released or had their hours or pay cut as a direct result of COVID-19. By the end of 2020, 54% of all staff had been released
• surveyed member centres are less optimistic about 2021 than in the previous survey undertaken in July 2020, when 31% of respondents anticipated a 40% recovery and 43% expected a 60% recovery of their pre COVID-19 business volume. Now, 36% of respondents do not expect recovery to exceed 20% in 2021

Universities UK International

With just under 5,000 students from UK universities from COVID-19 red list countries still outside the UK, universities are offering capacity to quarantine arriving students. Minister Donelan outlined that DfE are engaging with Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on this matter.

9. Any other business

ESAG agreed to schedule an additional meeting in July 2021.

Date of next meeting: 13 July 2021 at 11am to 1pm.