Oxford International sets course for expansion with new higher education advisory board comprising of education industry leaders and experts

Oxford International has announced a new Higher Education Advisory Board (‘HE Advisory Board’). Working with industry leaders and experts in the education sector, the new board of advisors will support the organisation’s strategic plan to achieve exponential growth and development in the global education market.

Each member of the new HE Advisory Board brings a wealth of expertise that would provide Oxford International with the industry knowledge and access to enter new markets and develop relationships globally. This year marks the 30th anniversary for Oxford International, which is currently partnered with six universities in the UK and Europe to deliver university pathway courses and more than 20 partners with our OI Digital Institute division.

By working with the HE Advisory Board members, we will be looking to evolve creatively and innovatively at the pace the students, markets, and industry needs in current times. The HE Advisory Board will be chaired by Oxford International co-founder David Brown and comprise of the following advisory members: Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP; Baroness Smith of Newnham; David Pilsbury, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, International at Coventry University; Simon Emmett, CEO of IDP Connect; Jeffrey Williams, CEO and Co-founder of Enroly.

Lil Bremermann-Richard, Group Chief Executive Officer at Oxford International Education Group, had this to say,

‘Working with this advisory board will give us priceless opportunities to lift our heads from our day to day and truly consider how we evolve as an educational organisation. This board will bring experience, views and opinions from the different angles that currently impact what we do, such as data, technology, academia, Universities, and the economy. I am genuinely excited and looking forward to the robust discussions ahead.’

David Brown is co-founder and Group President of Oxford International, a company that he established with financial assistance from the Prince’s Trust 30 years ago. He has helped grow the business from start-up to one of the UK’s largest private education groups. As well as his work for Oxford International, David is an active investor in several education businesses, with a particular interest in EdTech and Online Delivery.

Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP is Co-Chair of the All-Party Group for Universities and a former Minister attending Cabinet, who has served across four departments. He was last twice Minister of State for Universities, Research, Innovation and Skills (2018-19, 2019-2020) in the Departments for Education and Business. During that time, he published the UK government’s first International Education Strategy and helped secure the two-year post-study work VISA return.

Dr Julie Smith has been active in local and national politics within the Liberal Democrats, having served as a councillor on Cambridge City Council for more than a decade. She was ennobled as Baroness Smith of Newnham in 2014 and is an active peer with an interest in Defence and Europe. She has been a Reader in European Politics since 2018 and is a Visiting Parliamentary Fellow of St Antony’s Oxford.

Dr David Pilsbury is Deputy Vice-Chancellor, International at Coventry University. Since 2008 he has implemented an ambitious plan involving a six-fold increase in recruitment, establishing the UK’s largest overseas collaborative delivery programme with over 20,000 students in ~30 countries, and developing the world’s largest international enhancement programme, ranked No.1 for overseas mobility since records began.

Simon Emmett is the CEO of IDP Connect and is part of the wider IDP Global Leadership Team. With 20 years’ involvement within the sector, he is a highly experienced international education services and technology leader. Currently, Simon directs the IDP Connect business unit responsible for all global client products and services across data insights, marketing, and recruitment. In addition, he is responsible for websites and apps for prospective students that receive over 1.5 million visits per week and leads global sector and stakeholder relations, including Education New Zealand and Austrade partnerships.

Jeffrey Williams is CEO and Co-founder of Enroly, a venture-backed technology company providing international student recruitment & compliance automation software to the HE sector. Enroly’s flagship product CAS Shield is endorsed by JISC and has won numerous education & technology awards, including ‘Enrolment Management Solution of the Year’ in 2020.

The HE Advisory Board members will play a vital role in contributing to the overall voice of the organisation within the industry, and this will be seen through increased communications and publications.