We aim to increase the UK's share of the global market for international student recruitment by marketing the UK as a world-class study destination.
This supports our cultural relations ambitions because educating international students builds trust in, and favourability towards, the UK.
At a UK policy level our work supports the ambitions of the UK International Education Strategy, UK higher education recovery from the twin challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the UK’s exit from the EU, and responds to opportunities created by changes to the UK’s visa and post-study work regulations, to consolidate, grow and diversify UK international student recruitment.
International students contribute over £18 billion to the UK economy every year, just on fees and accommodation. The UK has a long-standing comparative advantage in providing education to international students based on the importance of English in the global economy and the high quality of courses offer.
Historically, the UK has the second-largest group of international students in the world after the US but the external environment is fiercely competitive and there is a real risk we will be overtaken by other countries in the near future.