The UK Skills Partnership and its members warmly welcome the publication of the UK’s new International Education Strategy 2026, launched today by the Department for Education, Department for Business and Trade, and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. This refreshed strategic vision recognises the critical role that education and skills play in shaping global opportunity, fostering international collaboration, and strengthening the UK’s competitive position in the global knowledge economy.
We applaud the government’s ambition to grow education exports to £40 billion per year by 2030, a clear signal of confidence in the world-class quality and global demand for UK education, training, and skills solutions. This target aligns with the Partnership’s core mission to expand international engagement and support UK providers in accessing new markets, developing transnational partnerships, and delivering impactful learning offers beyond UK borders.
The strategy’s emphasis on strengthening the UK’s international standing through education partnerships is particularly welcome. We believe that sustainable global collaboration in skills development is essential for addressing shared challenges – from workforce readiness to digital transformation and climate adaptation – and for creating equitable opportunities for learners worldwide.
We also support the continued focus on sustainable international student recruitment and the commitment to diversify recruitment from a broad range of countries while maintaining high standards of quality and integrity. Equally, the recognition of colleges, universities, schools, and providers of lifelong learning in this strategy reflects the breadth of the UK’s education ecosystem and its contribution to inclusive global skills mobility and capability building.
The Partnership notes the value of the re-energised Education Sector Action Group and looks forward to meaningful engagement in shaping actionable plans that will deliver on the strategy’s ambitions. This collaborative approach will be vital to ensure that policy commitments translate into concrete opportunities for institutions, employers, learners, and international partners.
As the sector moves to implement this strategy, the UK Skills Partnership remains committed to working with government, devolved administrations, and stakeholders across the education and skills landscape to support inclusive, innovative and sustainable international engagement that benefits learners, employers, and communities across the UK and around the world.
![Jane Whitehart OBE [Rexworthy] - UK Skills Partnership Chair](https://ukskillspartnership.org.uk/moogryce/2025/06/janrround-495x500.png)
