CHENNAI, 1 December 2022 – British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, today published a report ‘Exploring the Outlook for UK-India Transnational Education Partnerships’ at the Going Global Asia Pacific Conference, in Singapore.
The report evaluates the prospects for UK transnational education (TNE) in India and makes a number of recommendations for advancing UK-India TNE in the future as a result of NEP-inspired changes and analysing current blocks faced by UK institutions in operating TNE in India.
In addition, the report offers an updated analysis of significant legislative amendments and regulatory plans for higher education in India that may facilitate the continued expansion of UK TNE in India. The research presents a thorough database of all TNE discussions between the UK higher education institutions in India and another catalogue of TNE from universities in other nations. The report includes many key findings – some rather stark, as it maps existing TNE activity, current policies, stakeholder views, and barriers to TNE in India. With the needed context, it further makes policy level and Higher Education level recommendations for UK and India collaboration. The report is available on the British Council India website.
This first APAC edition of the British Council’s flagship Going Global conference was held in Singapore. The conference provided a strategic forum for leaders in international education to share knowledge and build a global network to shape the future of higher education across the world.
The conference explored the theme of International Education in the United Kingdom (UK) and Asia Pacific region: How to pursue equity in an inequitable world – an especially pertinent topic at a time when disparities in educational opportunities are on the rise due to the global pandemic. The delegates reimagined the future of education and discussing how to build stronger, more inclusive, internationally connected education systems through exchange of insight, learning and ideas to benefit hundreds of millions of people across the UK and Asia Pacific region.
Senior education leaders globally also attended the key segments of the conference virtually. The conference was opened by Maddalaine Ansell, Director of Education, British Council, and attended by Sir Steve Smith, the UK’s International Education Champion
British Council also launched the global Alumni UK network to connect international higher education alumni. Open to all international UK alumni who have spent at least one term studying at a UK higher education institution, including transnational education and online learning, the platform provides alumni a chance to grow their professional networks and connect with people living in every corner of the world who have studied at a UK university. Indian students now form the largest group of foreign students in the UK, according to the latest Immigration Statistics Report with access granted to 127,731 Indian study visa applicants in the year ending September 2022.
The launch of the Alumni UK network will connect Indian and other international UK alumni with peers across sectors and geographies opening up greater networking, co-working, and employability prospects for the alumni. Alumni will regularly have opportunities to learn from senior leaders and industry experts. By being a part of the Alumni UK network, alumni can celebrate their mutual connection to the UK and also continue to improve their English language skills. Alumni are invited to register for free: https://alumniuk.britishcouncil.org/register
Throughout next year the British Council will also deliver exclusive alumni engagement events in countries around the world including India, Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, and Vietnam.
Speaking on the inaugural day of the conference, Maddalaine Ansell, Director of Education, British Council, said, “We are thrilled to be hosting our first regional Going Global conference in Singapore this year – at the same time as we celebrate the British Council’s 75th anniversary in the city-state – and focusing on the Asia Pacific region. We are looking forward to robust discussions on a range of topics including how to ensure that educating international students overseas also builds higher education capacity in sending countries and that partnerships between countries are equitable and benefit everyone involved. For close to 20 years, through our flagship Going Global conference the British Council has provided a strategic forum for leaders in international education to share knowledge and build global networks that shape the future of further and higher education across the world.”
Rittika Chanda Parruck, Director Education, British Council India, added, “The UK higher education industry has long-standing relationships with academic institutions in the Asia Pacific- including India. In the post-pandemic times, with UK-India aligned to address shared global challenges through knowledge exchange and research innovation, there is a clear call for new kinds of partnerships through TNE, student and teacher exchange, etc. The British Council promotes the development of new partnerships and collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region’s tertiary education sector. Through the creation of novel models that were discussed at the conference, the British Council also supports the region’s efforts to internationalize education domestically and provide greater opportunities for all students.”