How we work | British Council

Two smiling students, one male and one female, are walking over a bridge in London looking off into the distance

Our work in higher education is focused on six impact areas:

increase the UK’s share of the global market for international student recruitment by marketing the UK as a world-class study destination
create more opportunities for UK students, learners and researchers to study and work overseas
develop HE and TVET partnerships that support quality and internationalisation and grow the market for the UK sector with regulatory reforms to maintain UK leadership
create global networks of alumni of UK HEIs
support the UK’s international reputation for science and research
create more opportunities to learn from global practice and enhance the international reputation of the four education systems of the UK.

Learn more about each of our strategic aims

Man in foreground raising a point at a conference table with six other people listening

Marketing UK education

We increase the UK’s share of the global market for international student recruitment by marketing the UK as a world-class study destination.

Woman in the foreground with her laptop in front of her, attending a lecture with other students in the background

Student mobility

We work to increase the opportunities for UK institutions to connect and collaborate with education providers in-country.

Landscape image of Queen's University Belfast's Lanyon Building beneath a blue sky with light clouds

Higher education partnerships

We work at system and institutional level to support quality and internationalisation.

A man and a woman are sat on a bench chatting. A few students are sat on chairs in the background out of focus.

Alumni UK

Alumni UK builds long-term relationships with students who have studied at UK HE institutions.

Female scientist in a lab coat performing an experiment, placing a test tube into a machine.

Science and research

We support the UK’s international reputation in science and research.

Two female students sitting on a bench outdoors, both reading something on a tablet which one of the students is holding.

Global learning

We support the growth of global learning on the theory and practice of international collaboration.