The International Unit initiates and delivers high profile projects and activities to support and develop the breadth and depth of the UK HE sector’s international activities.

It further supports the sector’s engagement in European Union and Bologna Process policy debates. 

It provides analysis on all aspects of HE internationalisation from international research collaboration to student recruitment to the various forms of ‘transnational education’ by which UK education is delivered overseas.

It also includes intelligence on government and HE sector initiatives in traditional competitor countries (like the US) and in countries that are simultaneously student markets, collaborators and potential competitors (like China and India).

The IU is jointly funded by Universities UK, Guild HE, Higher Education Funding Council for England, Higher Education and Funding Council for Wales, Scottish Funding Council, Department for Employment and Learning (Northern Ireland), and Quality Assurance Agency.

In representing the sector as a whole, the IEU works closely with higher education institutions and other HE institutions, the British Council, UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, UKTI, the Scottish Government, Universities Scotland, and the Welsh Assembly Government. The IEU also cooperates with a large number of UK HE organisations, including the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, the Council for Industry and Higher Education, the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, the Association of UK HE European Officers, the UK Research Office, Welsh Higher Education Brussels, Wales International Consortium, and the National Union of Students.

The IU was formed on 1 August 2010 by merging the UK HE International Unit and the UK HE Europe Unit.

Further information can be found on the International Unit website (opens in a new window).