TO BE PUBLISHED March 2026
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This conference will focus on next steps for UK transnational education, looking at priorities for policy, regulation and quality assurance, and market growth. Delegates will discuss approaches for developing partnerships, and building capacity in ways that support both UK providers and their overseas partners, alongside policy ambitions for the UK’s positioning in international higher education and cultural exchange.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together as preparations are made for the forthcoming International Education Strategy announced in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper. With initiatives such as UK-India Vision 2035, sessions will assess how TNE can best be coordinated with wider developments in industrial and trade policy, and higher education regulation.
Evolving demand, political pressures & international alignment
Delegates will consider options for expanding TNE in ways that balance ambitions for market growth with support for skills pipelines in host countries, and for leveraging TNE to contribute to wider UK aims relating to global research, trade and diplomatic engagement. Sessions in the agenda look at long-term strategies for adaptable TNE models, and how universities can respond to pressures arising from resource constraints, fluctuating student demand and geopolitical changes.
We expect latest thinking on how institutions can respond to shifting political environments, including the interaction of national policies and institution principles of academic freedom and autonomy. Areas for discussion include priorities for protecting student welfare and managing risk in volatile environments, addressing resource pressures - including at the British Council - and forging frameworks for diplomatic, regulatory and sector collaboration that might best support stable long-term partnerships.
Delivery, standards & transparency
Sessions will examine the place of TNE within the quality regulation framework, and potential implications of divergence from the European Standards and Guidelines when they undergo anticipated revision in 2027.
Delegates will assess how providers can demonstrate comparability of academic standards and student experiences across different sites - including in joint and dual degrees, and in overseas delivery contracts. Sessions also look at the future for consistency in quality assurance and recognition across international partnerships and how to meet demands for clearer, robust mechanisms to underpin high standards. Areas for discussion include regulation of degree-awarding powers, programme validation and the recognition of qualifications across borders, as well as co-ordination of oversight across borders and the UK nations.
Attendees will consider what arrangements are needed to give students, partners and sponsors sufficient assurance as partnerships grow in scale and complexity. Options for additional transparency and monitoring mechanisms will be considered, alongside the growth of TNE initiatives.
Engagement, policy & market access
Delegates will discuss measures designed to reduce barriers to partnership development, looking at their effectiveness and next steps for the broader TNE engagement framework in fostering access to priority markets. This includes the role of government and sector bodies in addressing restrictive regulatory conditions that stifle international partnerships.
Priorities for policy frameworks in supporting the sector’s future growth will also be discussed, drawing on latest thinking on how TNE can support universities to address financial concerns, diversify income streams, and strengthen institutional sustainability.
Digital models, workforce capacity & skills
Further sessions will assess digital provision and how it can be deployed to successfully broaden access while also supporting quality, reputation, and institutional integrity. Delegates will consider how to address challenges of strengthening connectivity across borders, particularly in regions with underdeveloped digital infrastructure.
Further opportunities for working around gaps in host-country digital infrastructure will be assessed, including priorities for mitigating the impact of licensing restrictions limiting access to learning materials and curriculum delivery.
Variations in digital literacy among students and staff will also be an area of focus, looking at balancing domestic and international workload demands. Strategies for developing staff skills for cross-jurisdiction teaching will be discussed, and the future for sector-wide approaches such as the academy model, in supporting the development of workforce capacity to meet the needs of global education delivery.
There will also be discussion on how access to licensed teaching resources can be improved and legal, cost and censorship barriers can be tackled.
Research
Delegates will also examine strategies for growing transnational research, including investment strategies and alignment of funding with impactful research, priorities for improving financial resilience across transnational education, as well as integrating research activity with TNE provision to support collaborative research efforts, enhance institutional reputation, foster innovation, and support UK and host-country priorities.
Strategies for improving risk management will also be examined, looking at key issues for decision-making in supporting financial resilience, diversification, and sustainable partnership models.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates.
