International education provides the UK with a dynamic, high-skill and sustainable industry, estimated to be worth more than GBP 10 billion. International education, however, is not merely an export industry. It helps us to build friendships with people from around the world, enabling us to understand more about each others' cultures and opening the doors to greater trade, investment and political influence. By internationalising its education provision, the UK is able to attract intellectual capital – enriching the UK's capacity for research, technological growth and innovation.
Launched in April 2006, the Prime Minister's Initiative for International Education (PMI2) is a five-year strategy which aims to secure the UK's position as a leader in international education and sustain the growth of UK international education delivered in the UK and overseas.
International student recruitment to the UK is an important element within the strategy, but our ability to attract students increasingly depends on our reputation in the international arena. Not only is this about the quality and value of our education, it is also about the contribution we make globally and the strength of the partnerships we build.
PMI2's aims are to:
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promote the benefits of a UK education to international students |
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ensure international students have a positive experience of their UK studies |
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help UK and international education providers to build strategic alliances and partnerships, and demonstrate the value of the UK as a partner in policy and delivery |
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diversify and consolidate markets. |
Specifically, our targets for 2011 are to:
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attract an additional 70,000 international students to UK Higher Education, and an additional 30,000 international students to UK Further Education |
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achieve demonstrable improvements to student satisfaction ratings in the UK |
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achieve significant growth in the number of partnerships between the UK and other countries |
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double the number of countries sending more than 10,000 students per annum to the UK. |
PMI2 focuses on new countries as well as strengthening relationships in countries where there are well established ties. It sets out four interconnected strands:
The first PMI taught us that students wanting to study abroad choose the country first, and then an institution. With a strong reputation for education worldwide, the UK is well positioned to address this; however, competition is growing dramatically, with more and more countries seeking to attract international students.
Developed for PMI2, the Education UK brand and marketing and communications campaigns tell students around the world what benefits a UK education offers them. The Education UK website and publications enable students to find out about their study options. We also work with agents to ensure they are able to explain the benefits of UK education to potential students.
Studying abroad can be one of the most exciting and rewarding times of your life. Learning new ideas, meeting new people, exploring new cultures and landscapes… it can be an experience that leads to life-long friendships and relationships. However, students now have more choice than ever before – both from within their own countries as well as overseas study. As a result, their expectations are growing.
PMI2 aims to ensure that all international students undertaking a UK education have a positive experience at every step of the way. We do this through support in three areas:
The dramatic changes in international education suggest a very different landscape by 2011 – one in which both the UK's positioning and many of its markets will depend on strong strategic overseas partnerships. If we are to reach our goals, we must achieve a major step change in this area.
PMI2 provides funding and support to UK FE and HE institutions to help them build partnerships with international institutions and industry. At government and policy level, we bring together education leaders to address global education challenges through policy dialogues.
For more information, see the PMI2 strategic alliances and partnerships section.
In international student recruitment, it can be easier to focus efforts on a limited number of countries, rather than spreading out resources. However, this has can be risky. Many international markets are prone to fragility. Growing competition from domestic and international providers, fluctuating exchange rates and changing government regulations mean that in order to succeed, we need to speak to a wide range of countries.
More importantly, focusing on a small number of countries takes us away from meeting the goals of internationalisation, building relationships with people from around the world and learning about each others' cultures.
PMI2 priority markets are:
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Australia |
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The Gulf (including
Saudi Arabia and UAE) |
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Malaysia |
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Sri Lanka |
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Bangladesh |
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Hong Kong |
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Mexico |
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Taiwan |
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Brazil |
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India |
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Nigeria |
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Thailand |
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Canada |
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Indonesia |
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Pakistan |
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Turkey |
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China |
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Japan |
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Russia |
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USA |
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Ghana |
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Korea |
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Singapore |
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Vietnam |
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 The Prime Minister’s Initiative for International Education: Strategy brief (32KB) - published 18 April 2006
Prime Minister’s Initiative for International Education: launch press release (17KB) - published 18 April 2006
PMI2 briefing documents and progress reviews.
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