Universities urged to properly prepare amid push for international expansion

The government announced it is to lift existing targets for international students coming to the UK, as part of a drive to encourage universities to open international facilities as it looks to grow the education export sector to £40billion by 2030.

The revised international education strategy comes amid pressure on the UK Government to cut immigration, with changes to student access announced as part of the immigration white paper in 2025. Instead, schools, colleges and universities will be encouraged to set up in countries where there is already significant interest in applications from students, such as China and India.

The initiative will see UK export finance support and other financial approaches being made more easily available to education providers to help encourage international growth and transnational education, along with diplomatic missions looking to increase opportunities in their areas.

However Andrew Church, an education sector expert with Pinsent Masons, warned that while international expansion could prove lucrative for institutions, it would also bring with it an increased need for understanding of international regulations when looking to set up camp overseas.

"We are already seeing multiple UK universities take advantage of this shift in Government policy. Many institutions are actively establishing new campuses and joint institutes in key markets, and in particular China, India and Saudi Arabia,” he said.

"Before formally contracting with overseas partners, we strongly recommend that universities undertake research and due diligence into their proposed partners.

“Many partnerships are long term, so failure to carry out any due diligence could lead to future reputational risks for UK institutions if their partners’ values do not align with their own. Institutions also need to consider the regulatory requirements of operating overseas. This includes in relation to UK export control regulations, which can often apply to STEM related subjects."

The dropping of targets for international student recruitment comes after the previous goal of reaching 600,000 students – set in 2019 – was achieved early. Currently more than 620,000 students are registered with UK universities overseas, with campuses and distance learning across nearly 200 countries and territories.