Morning, Tuesday, 8th December 2026
Online
This conference will examine next steps for international students and higher education in England following reform to student migration, recruitment and protection. Areas for discussion include sustainable international recruitment, university finance, student outcomes and the UK’s position in a more competitive global education market.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss priorities for international higher education policy following publication of the International Education Strategy 2026, in the context of new provider compliance arrangements introduced in June 2026, and ahead of Graduate Route reform from January 2027. Delegates will consider priorities for universities, regulators and government as the sector seeks to maintain education exports and global partnerships while responding to the confirmed International Student Levy from August 2028, Graduate Route reform, financial uncertainty, shifting recruitment patterns and heightened expectations around student outcomes and protection.
Finances and recruitment
Sessions will examine how the International Student Levy, Graduate Route changes and the new sponsorship compliance requirements are likely to affect the economics, risk profile and student offer for international applicants. Attendees will consider priorities for recruitment planning, course and country mix, admissions practice and agent oversight, and the transition from study to work, alongside potential implications of the strengthened compliance framework for institutional decision-making. Discussion will also look at reliance on international fee income, volatility in postgraduate-taught recruitment, affordability and living costs, accommodation pressures, local impacts, and whether ambitions for diversified and responsible recruitment can be sustained under financial and compliance pressure.
Student protection and global engagement
Further discussion will consider the overall international student experience, including implications of the Office for Students’ proposed Condition C6: Treating Students Fairly for student protection, continuity arrangements, complaints, and the position of students taught through partnerships and transnational education. Delegates will also assess measures for maintaining a competitive, welcoming and high-quality UK offer in a changing global landscape, including implementation of the UK’s return to Erasmus+ from 2027, continued participation in Horizon Europe, growth in overseas partnerships, graduate outcomes, employer demand, and the contribution of international students to universities, local communities, skills needs and the UK’s international standing.
Overview of areas for discussion
- policy direction and timing:
- priorities following publication of the International Education Strategy 2026 - implementation of the International Student Levy - changes to the Graduate Route
- alignment between international education policy, migration control and provider regulation
- recruitment and provider finance:
- reliance on international fee income - volatility in postgraduate taught recruitment - course and country mix - recruitment forecasting - implications for institutional risk and financial sustainability
- visa compliance and institutional accountability:
- implementation of the new student-sponsor compliance framework - revised Basic Compliance Assessment thresholds and Red-Amber-Green ratings
- use of action plans and recruitment limits where compliance issues arise - responsibilities for universities, regulators and government
- responsible recruitment and admissions:
- entry standards - education agent oversight - admissions practice - accuracy and clarity of student communications - expectations around responsible recruitment and student outcomes
- student experience and protection:
- OfS proposals for Condition C6: Treating Students Fairly - pre-arrival information - affordability and living costs - accommodation pressures - support services - student protection arrangements, continuity and complaints
- global competitiveness and partnerships:
- maintaining a competitive and high-quality UK offer - implementation of the UK’s return to Erasmus+ from 2027- Horizon Europe participation
- growth in transnational education and overseas partnerships - graduate outcomes and employer demand
- wider contribution and local impacts:
- implications for local communities and services - skills needs - regional economies
- the UK’s global standing - approaches to communicating the value and practical effects of international student recruitment
