Universities have an opportunity to capitalise on transnational education’s (TNE’s) starring role in the new International Education Strategy by making the most of newly proffered government support, and by embracing collaborative sector-driven initiatives such as the Quality Assurance Agency’s (QAA’s) TNE Scheme and UUKi’s newly launched TNE Network.
The profile of transnational education has been steadily growing over the last few years. The UK has a decades-long history of high-quality TNE delivery, but recently it has achieved a new level of centrality in the strategies of universities and the government.
Evidence of this transition can clearly be seen in the government’s new International Education Strategy (IES). TNE features heavily in the document from the outset and throughout. It is explicitly woven into two of the three core ambitions of the strategy – increasing the UK’s international standing through education, and growing education exports. The language and framing around TNE in the document is also positive and holistic, recognising TNE’s flexibility, scalability and contribution to sustainable development.
Unlocking TNE opportunities
Iterations of the IES set out by the previous government from 2019 to 2023 recognised the value of TNE and committed to supporting its growth. A lot was achieved in this regard, particularly via the work of G2G engagement led by International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, securing regulatory breakthroughs via dialogue with key partner countries including India, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
The 2026 strategy looks set to build and expand on this progress. In addition to the continued (tireless) work of Sir Steve, the introduction of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) as a co-owning department presents a big opportunity, with the new strategy committing to a ‘diplomacy-led approach’. Embassies and high commissions will be expected to support the growth of TNE, heads of missions in key regions will be appointed as ‘local education champions’, and new higher education regional advisers will be deployed to posts in Southeast Asia, West Africa and the Gulf.
Impact on exports
Through these new opportunities and interventions, the strategy also aims to grow the value of education exports to the UK to £40 billion per year by 2030. TNE will have a role to play here, and it is clear that it will already have contributed to progress with total TNE enrolments having grown by more than 45,000 students each year for the past five years.
However, work remains to be done to improve our understanding of the economic contribution of TNE to ensure this impact is accurately and fully captured. Furthermore, TNE will not be able to do all of the heavy lifting on its own. It is of vital importance that the strategy’s prioritisation of government resources in facilitating TNE growth not be used to justify reduction in support for sustainable growth in onshore student recruitment.
Risk mitigation
As the scale and profile of TNE continues to grow, so too rightly will the expectations and scrutiny applied by key stakeholders. Helpfully, the strategy includes commitments to support the sector through the challenges inherent in international operations. Government will support sector bodies in raising awareness of the risks associated with TNE operations, and ensuring institutions understand how to ensure appropriate mitigations are in place. Recognition of qualifications will be addressed through trade deals, and through the continued work of the UK European National Information Centre (ENIC). The strategy also mentions supporting institutions to access the resources provided by UK Export Finance, but more will need to be done to build understanding of these and other financial instruments available in this space.
The strategy rightly shines a spotlight on the crucial contribution the British Council makes to the UK’s past and future TNE success. The British Council’s global network of offices and in-country staff, their convening role with international stakeholders, their research and insights, and their direct support via seed funding for new innovative partnerships all play a crucial role in enabling and de-risking universities’ international activities. Recognition in the strategy is highly welcome, but it is important this is also matched by a sustainable funding settlement from the government, to maximise the British Council’s ongoing effectiveness. The strategy will also require sufficient resourcing of the international education teams in the Department for Education, Department for Business and Trade and FCDO to ensure ongoing monitoring of progress, facilitation of delegations and inward visits, and the brokering of direct engagement with overseas governments and prospective partners.
Protecting the UK’s reputation for quality
In this context, sector-led mechanisms that demonstrate quality are becoming increasingly important. The QAA’s newly rebranded UK TNE Quality Scheme is a practical example. It helps institutions develop their provision with confidence, gives partners assurance about the UK’s approach to quality, and provides a structured way of sharing practice and addressing challenges collectively. For institutions in England and Northern Ireland the scheme is voluntary, but the value is increasingly sector-wide and as one of the commissioning bodies we strongly encourage participation from any institution engaging in TNE.
Launching the UUKi TNE Network
With the spotlight firmly on the sectors’ endeavours in this area, we are excited to be launching the new UUKi TNE Network. It has been clear for some time that colleagues across the UK would value a forum where policy insights, opportunities and market intelligence can be shared quickly, openly and with a clear channel back into UUKi’s advocacy work.
The existing UK International Campus Alliance Network (UKICAN) has been instrumental in demonstrating the value of structured collaboration for universities with large TNE portfolios. Its work in convening institutions, sharing practice and supporting collective problem solving has shown the strength of a coordinated sector voice and has helped shape the expectations and appetite for a broader network.
Building on this strong foundation, the new TNE Network will absorb and build upon the work of UKICAN, widening the focus from overseas campuses to all models of TNE delivery. We are delighted to be able to count on the expertise of Professor Simon Guy, Pro-Vice Chancellor Global at Lancaster University whose experience of leading UKICAN will be invaluable as he takes up the role of inaugural Chair of the TNE Network.
The network will bring together practitioners, policy leads and senior managers from UUK member institutions for meetings and consultations, and will also provide an umbrella brand for a growing programme of TNE-focused webinars and workshops. It will also help ensure that when governments or regulators engage with TNE, the sector speaks with a coherent and informed voice.
Subscribers to UUKi’s existing TNE mailing list will receive information about the network directly, but if you would like to find out more please do get in touch with me.
Looking ahead
Through engaging with the actions of the 2026 IES, the QE TNE Scheme and the new UUKi TNE Network, the sector has an opportunity to strengthen its position and ensure that UK TNE continues to grow its positive global impact from foundations of quality and collaboration.