UK govt announces new international education strategy

Ambitions to grow international student numbers by 30% and boost the economic impact of the industry to £35bn annually by 2030 are at the centre of the new UK International Education Strategy.

Announced today by the education secretary Damian Hinds and the international trade secretary Liam Fox, the strategy includes a number of measures to boost the sector’s role in the global market as the country prepares to leave the EU.

Among the key points of the strategy is an extension of the post-study work visa “to ensure the UK continues to attract and welcome” international students, and plans to improve the visa process and support student employability.

Included in the immigration white paper announced in late 2018, the new policy will give bachelor’s and master’s graduates six months and PhDs a year of post-study work leave.

Other propositions include the appointment of a new International Education Champion to develop global partnerships, tighter collaboration across government department on international education policy and a call for sector groups to bid into the £5m GREAT Challenge Fund to promote the UK internationally.

New strategy will focus on “not only retaining links with Europe,” but strengthening the profile of the education sector in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

“From English Language Training in Latin America to Higher Education partnerships in Vietnam, trade minister Graham Stuart and I have encountered a remarkable amount of enthusiasm for British education goods and services across the globe,” Fox said in a statement.

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