Policy Win: Government adopts headline recommendations from HE Commission report

A new joint strategy paper from the Departments for Education and International Trade has set an ambition to increase education exports to £35 billion and grow international HE student numbers to 600,000 by 2030.

The new target and cross-departmental strategy follows the launch of Policy Connect’s Staying Ahead report in September 2018 and months of campaigning from the sector to create a friendlier environment around international student recruitment.

Responding to the launch of the Government’s strategy paper Policy Connect’s Head of Education and Skills, Simon Kelleher, said: “The new strategy marks a fresh approach to the government’s stance on international students. We are delighted to see the adoption of our recommendations for a cross-governmental programme and target for international student intake, in addition to previous announcements on EU student fees and changes to the post study work visas laid out in the Immigration Whitepaper.

While we welcome this new direction of travel, the UK's post-study options remain less generous than those of our competitor nations whose own strategies are far more ambitious. 

At a time when the future funding settlement of tertiary education is in uncertain, it is important that we work with government to enable the sector to access the benefits of an increasingly globally mobile student population.” 

Policy Connect will continue to engage with the department and partners in the sector on how the government can "develop an increasingly competitive offer".

Please do feel free to simon.kelleher [at] policyconnect.org.uk (subject: Staying%20Ahead%20report) (let us know of any policy work you may be doing in this area)