International Education Strategy: AoC responds

AoC was pleased to contribute to the UK’s new International Education Strategy, which launched at the weekend. The strategy, which aims to increase the value of UK education exports to £35 billion a year by 2030, highlights the benefits of international education and cooperation to the UK. AoC International director Emma Meredith said: “For too long colleges have been unable to fulfil their potential and ambition to work internationally. It is hugely positive to see further education, colleges and skills properly championed in this strategy. I particularly welcome the strategy’s actions to extend the Government’s GREAT campaign across the education sector, to provide specific support and training to help us work internationally, and to partner with the education sector to develop better data about export activity. “The lack of FE international data was a key reason why last year the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) did not recommend any changes to visa rules for international students at FE colleges. It’s good news that this new international strategy will keep discussions about the UK visa system under review, as better data and a fairer visa deal for colleges will help deliver the strategy’s ambition to grow international higher education students to 600,000 p.a. by 2030. Colleges offer higher education, academic and English language courses alongside our core vocational provision, and we look forward to taking our offer further than ever before by delivering the strategy’s goals in partnership with Government.”