Washington, DC (3 March) – Today the British Council launched the UK-US New Partnership Fund, a $500,000 program to develop new strategic links between British and American higher education institutions. The fund directly supports recommendations from research also released today, UK-US Higher Education Partnerships: Realising the Potential.
The UK-US New Partnership Fund, managed by the British Council, will fund up to 20 projects with up to £20,000 in seed money to help establish collaborations between new partners, expand co-operations between existing partners or pilot UK-US collaborations with third countries, such as India and China.
Priority will be given to partnerships in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical fields, although proposals demonstrating innovative and interdisciplinary approaches will also be welcomed. The fund, made available through the Prime Minister’s Initiative 2, will also provide travel grants to UK higher education staff exploring opportunities at US institutions.
“Long term strategic international partnerships are an essential component of the future of higher education, so I am delighted to launch the UK-US New Partnership Fund,” said Sharon Memis, Director British Council North America.
For US universities, colleges and higher education associations, the fund provides an opportunity to commence new partnerships with the UK. Although the initial grant application must be made by a UK institution in cooperation with a US partner, once the proposal has been approved both parties will receive access to funding. However, US institutions can register their interest in partnering with the UK through an online survey on the British Council USA’s website.
Despite strong higher education relationships between the two countries, UK-US Higher Education Partnerships: Realising the Potential notes that the international education market is changing and recommends that the UK re-invest in strategic higher education partnerships with the US in order to realize the full potential of UK-US cooperation. The report recommends that the UK education sector establish a US strategy group to define an overarching strategy to better engage with the US, develop a high level higher education policy forum and better communicate and promote the successes of UK-US higher education collaborations.
According to the report, UK and US universities are underutilizing key opportunities for collaborations, such as investing in research exchanges and building links with a more diverse group of institutions. British and American universities surveyed for the report also expressed an interest in using the bilateral relationship to jointly develop programs with third countries.
Findings from the research have underlined the enormous importance of long-standing cooperation between the world’s two most prestigious higher education systems. Higher education institutions in the United Kingdom and United States have an abundance of faculty and student exchanges. There are currently more than 5,000 UK university staff with research links to the United States and more than 3,500 US research students currently working in the UK. The United Kingdom is also the top destination for American students who choose to study outside the country for semester- or year-abroad as well as full undergraduate, graduate and PhD degree programs.
“The UK remains the most popular study abroad destination for US higher education students,” said Allan Goodman, CEO of the Institute of International Education. “The Institute of International Education is delighted to support the British Council in this new US-UK initiative, and we look forward to working in partnership to ensure that transatlantic ties remain strong.”
About the British Council: The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international non-profit organization for cultural relations and education opportunities. We build engagement and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide. In the US, we increase recognition of the variety of higher education opportunities available in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and facilitate institutional collaborations between the US and UK. Through transatlantic artistic partnerships, we introduce Americans to high-quality, groundbreaking creative work from the UK and our climate change programs support a network of young leaders who are committed to tackling climate change globally and in their own communities. We also develop initiatives that give a voice to the next generation of leaders on both sides of the Atlantic, encouraging them to work together to explore solutions to current and future global issues. With offices in Washington, New York and Los Angeles, the British Council USA also builds global partnerships with US-based institutions to support our work around the world.
About The Prime Minister’s Initiative (PMI2) for International Education 2006–2011: The Prime Minister’s Initiative (PMI2) for International Education was launched in April 2006 as a five year strategy to achieve significant growth in the number of partnerships between the UK and other countries. PMI2 is led by a Program Board which provides strategic direction and ensures the program achieves its agreed outcomes. The Board is co-chaired by the Department for Work and Pensions; Department for Children, Schools and Families; Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS); the Joint International Unit; and the British Council. The Board members represent BIS, British Council, the Higher and Further Education sectors and the Devolved Administrations. For more information, please visit www.britishcouncil.org/eumd-pmi.
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The report UK-US Higher Education Partnerships: Realising the Potential is available at www.britishcouncil.org/usa-education-partnerships. US institutions that would like to build a relationship with the UK are encouraged to submit an expression of interest here.
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