It’s the doc we’ve all been ready for: the new IES is lastly right here. Whereas it builds on the ambitions set out in its predecessor manner again in 2019, there are a number of notable exceptions.
The obvious change is that the federal government has shifted away from an outright ambition to develop worldwide numbers within the UK – set at a 30% improve within the final IES. As a substitute, the brand new technique goals for formidable progress in schooling exports to the tune of £40 billion per 12 months, in addition to a rising give attention to transnational schooling (TNE).
“The massive factor for me… was the pivot in direction of TNE,” Sir Steve Smith instructed The PIE Information in an unique interview final week.
“Governments wish to ship college students to the UK, however in addition they wish to develop TNE in their very own international locations.”
Because the UK’s worldwide schooling champion, Sir Steve was instrumental in drawing up the revamped technique, with enter from the Division for Schooling, the Division for Enterprise & Commerce and – essential to the brand new IES’s mushy energy focus – the Overseas, Commonwealth & Growth Workplace.
The revamped technique strikes away from recruiting extra college students to return to the UK and in direction of opening up alternatives for TNE partnerships overseas – identify checking India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam as goal international locations, whereas additionally recognising the “strategic significance” of China and Hong Kong.
The UK is already within the midst of a TNE growth, most notably seen in a slew of British universities opening department campuses in India, with many extra eyeing alternatives to develop abroad.
Whereas Sir Steve admitted that the £40bn goal is “formidable”, he was happy with the scope of the technique’s goals given the clamour for British schooling overseas. “In a manner, the hazard is we underestimate the importance of the expansion and export goal,” he mentioned, highlighting that governments from all around the world are proactively inviting TNE alternatives of their international locations.
“In a world through which everybody needs British schooling, this isn’t us attempting to promote one thing that doesn’t promote,” mentioned Sir Steve. “That is us understanding how we signify all bits of the sector in a world the place a minister can’t go overseas nowadays and meet one other authorities with out them saying, ‘Oh, we’d like to speak to you about schooling.’”
Not solely do TNE partnerships supply prime quality worldwide schooling at a a lot cheaper price level than sending college students overseas, mentioned Sir Steve, however the method avoids ‘mind drain’ as a result of vivid college students can keep in their very own nation for instructional alternatives.
Whereas stakeholders might have been upset to see an absence of UK-based worldwide enrolment progress within the technique, Sir Steve identified that its said goal of constant to recruit “high-quality” worldwide college students is one thing of a win in at this time’s political local weather.
“There may have been a discount [in numbers], given the noise on immigration. So we have been actually happy to get this dedication throughout authorities for the continued recruitment of high-quality college students” he instructed The PIE.
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to grasp that something to do with giant numbers of worldwide college students coming to the UK is a politically delicate problem.”
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to grasp that something to do with giant numbers of worldwide college students coming to the UK is a politically delicate problem
Sir Steve Smith, UK worldwide schooling champion
Six years after the primary IES was revealed, the UK’s schooling sector is now being assessed on early years, edtech, particular instructional wants, and – more and more – abilities, following the publication of the abilities white paper within the autumn.
“The primary technique actually was a toddler of that world. And now it’s way more about shifting in direction of bringing the energy of the UK’s schooling system throughout the board to the worldwide market.”
One other sea change is the ministerially appointed Schooling Sector Motion Group (ESAG) – a reformed model of the present Schooling Sector Advisory Group whose members are but to be confirmed – in charting the technique’s future course. The group is prone to be made up varied consultant teams, which can every feed meat onto the bones of the brand new IES, with every member given 100 days from their appointment to provide you with a plan reflecting their members’ priorities.
“It’s a manner of responding to the truth that there’s such width within the sector and such specialisation, that we simply don’t have the useful resource in DBT,” mentioned Sir Steve of the method. “It’s about attempting to ensure that we signify the entire of the schooling sector.”
