If you’re new to international collaboration, a short-term partnership could open the door to a world of opportunities for your school. 

To make getting started even easier, you can apply to join a British Council guided partnership, where a dedicated partnership facilitator will guide you through a short-term, collaborative, curriculum-based project with an overseas partner. 

Upcoming rounds:

  • September to December 2023 - theme: climate change (applications closed)
  • January to March 2024 - theme: climate change (applications closed; join our waiting list by registering your interest below)
  • April to June 2024 - theme: literacy (applications open January 2024)

On these three-month projects, we provide you with a range of suggested curriculum-related activities which you and your students develop along with students in your partner school, working together to address the challenges and find solutions for the particular theme. 

Register your interest 

On a guided partnership, you can:

  • Broaden your students’ horizons and provide exciting new learning opportunities
  • Give your learners the opportunity to share work with students in schools in other countries
  • Be matched with a suitable partner school who you will work with for three months
  • Focus on global learning topics, such as climate change or gender equality
  • Get targeted support from an expert practitioner with first-hand experience of global learning projects
  • Exchange ideas with teachers in the UK and around the world while you gain transferable skills and discover new teaching approaches
  • Gain accreditation through the International School Award

Our children interacting with the students in Palestine has given [climate education] a completely different dimension, and it makes it rich and meaningful to the children,” Claire Mackay, EAL, teacher. St Patrick’s Primary School, Glasgow

How they work

Based on your application, you’ll be connected with an international partner, and work on a joint project within a wider cluster of UK and overseas schools. 

Your partnership facilitator will help you and your partner get to know each other, and will guide you along the journey of developing your project through a series of monthly webinars. They’ll complement this with guidance, professional development and help with any questions you may have. 

Once you’ve completed your project, your partnership facilitator will advise you on how to sustain your partnership and recommend tools and resources to use in the future.

Who you can partner with

You will be matched with an overseas partner school from a country in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and the Middle East and North Africa and will work together on a project that focuses on the specfic theme of the round. 

Guidance for your application

  • Submit a short application with some information about your school (and showing you’ve secured agreement from your school leadership)
  • Eligible schools: state-funded schools providing full-time general, vocational, technical and special needs education. Alternative provision settings are also welcome to apply
  • Priority will be given to schools that have not previously had an international partnership
  • Only one teacher per eligible UK school can apply
  • If you are interested in a partnership but your school is outside the UK, visit our British Council Schools Partner Finder
  • All schools taking part will be awarded a certificate of participation

Any questions?

Keep up-to-date with international opportunities, projects and resources; sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.