International Higher Education Commission unveils new report as blueprint for future of global leadership in UK higher education

16 APRIL – London, UK – The International Higher Education Commission (IHEC) has today launched its final report, “Towards a Future UK International Higher Education Strategy: Resilience, Purpose, and Precision”, outlining its roadmap to revitalise and future-proof the UK’s global education footprint.

Amid growing financial pressure on universities and intensifying global competition, the report calls on Government and the sector to adopt a coherent International Higher Education Strategy (IHES) that secures the UK’s position as a premier destination for global talent, enhanced research collaboration and educational innovation.

The Commission identifies three core imperatives that must guide the UK’s next chapter in international education:

• Protect and promote the UK’s global competitiveness: The UK’s world-class education offer is at risk without sustained policy support and smart regulation. This includes the need for a £5 million per annum marketing investment over five years to reassert the UK’s appeal globally, a renewed commitment to the Graduate Route to maintain a competitive post-study work offer and integrated student outcome tracking and promotion of employability to attract globally mobile talent
• Diversify to build resilience and drive sustainable growth: Today, 70% of international students in the UK come from just 7 countries – diversity has dropped enormously in the recent past.  Overreliance on a handful of source countries poses a systemic risk to institutional and national resilience. Actively managing international recruitment portfolios to reduce dependency and unlock new growth markets will be essential to mitigating this.
• Reframe the narrative and rebuild public trust: Government and the sector must counteract negative migration rhetoric and instead position international education as a national asset. The report recommends mirroring the system in Australia that records when students arrive and leave the country, in addition to strengthening student welfare, housing access and community integration to secure public support.

IHEC Chair Chris Skidmore said: “International students bring economic, academic and cultural vitality to our country. But without strategic intent and a clear welcome, the UK faces significant risk. We must recognise that the sector’s financial dependence on overseas students is not going to change in the short term and that we need to grasp the opportunity to build a sustainable long-term position.”

“We must stop allowing international students to be caught in the crossfire of the immigration debate,” added David Pilsbury, Secretary of IHEC. “That means we need mechanisms and data to show that students come, contribute and catch a plane home.  This report sets out clear steps to help communities understand, and benefit, from the global engagement of our universities.”

The report proposes SMART targets, clear timelines, and a restructured governance model to deliver change at pace. With the right leadership, it argues that the UK can cement its role as a science superpower, economic engine, and champion of global education.