The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) plays a central role in delivering the UK’s industrial and international growth ambitions for education. It works in partnership with providers across schools, further education, higher education and EdTech to position the UK as a globally competitive education exporter. Through coordinated trade missions, in-market promotion and high-level government engagement, DBT connects the sector to priority international opportunities, supports consortium-based approaches where scale and breadth of expertise are required, and facilitates strategic relationships with governments, investors and delivery partners worldwide. In doing so, DBT helps translate the UK’s education capability into tangible commercial and partnership outcomes aligned to wider industrial strategy priorities around exports, skills and global influence.

The International Education Strategy (IES) provides the overarching framework for this activity, placing education at the heart of the UK’s global engagement, economic growth and soft power offer. It sets a clear direction for the sector to operate internationally and respond collectively to growing global demand for high-quality education and skills provision. The strategy emphasises long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships, the expansion of transnational education and stronger alignment between education activity and wider diplomatic and trade objectives.

At its core, the Strategy is underpinned by three ambitions that directly connect to the UK’s industrial and international priorities:

• strengthening the UK’s global position and influence through education, positioning the sector as a partner of choice across all stages of learning
• supporting sustainable, high-quality international student recruitment, reinforcing the UK’s global competitiveness and talent pipeline
• driving growth in education exports to £40 billion per year by 2030, creating new commercial opportunities across all subsectors

Taken together, DBT delivery activity and the IES framework provide the sector with a coordinated platform to scale internationally, deepen partnerships and contribute directly to the UK’s trade, growth and global engagement objectives.

DBT does not operate solely within established priority markets. It continuously assesses emerging opportunities to identify where future demand for UK education and skills provision may develop. A key part of this role is addressing market access barriers and supporting the sector where UK Government intervention can add tangible value, ensuring that providers are able to pursue opportunities in any market where there is a credible route to success.

The Education Sector Action Group (ESAG), chaired at Ministerial level and comprising key sector representative bodies alongside cross-government partners, provides a structured mechanism to ensure that the interests and expertise of the education sector inform export policy and delivery. It plays an important role in aligning sector insight with government priorities and strengthening the overall export offer.

DBT’s international delivery is organised through geographically focused teams aligned to the priority markets identified in the International Education Strategy, while retaining flexibility to respond to new and emerging opportunities. This structure enables coordinated engagement across regions, supporting both strategic partnerships and market entry activity.

The DBT international education team plays a key role in supporting providers to identify, develop and secure long-term international opportunities. This includes helping organisations navigate complex procurement environments, build partnerships and position their offer competitively in overseas markets.

Delivery is underpinned by a strong cross-government approach. The team works closely with colleagues across Whitehall and leverages collaboration with partners including UK Export Finance and other government functions focused on trade, investment and industrial growth. This ensures that education is positioned effectively within wider international and economic engagement activity.

For UK-based education organisations, whether entering international markets for the first time or seeking to scale existing activity, the DBT International Education team provides a clear entry point for support. It offers access to market intelligence, networks and government-to-government engagement that can help providers translate capability into sustainable international growth.