Strategy 2000-2003

Background
1.1 In 1996 the Export Strategy for Scotland identified education as a priority sector. At the same time the Department of Trade and Industry and the British Council were establishing UK wide education export initiatives. There was agreement, endorsed by UK Ministers, that there was a need for Scotland to establish its own sector-led body to co-ordinate activity.
1.2 Scottish Education + Training was therefore established in December 1996 to

  • Increase overseas earnings for the Scottish education and training sector - m of additional overseas earnings for Scottish institutions and related bodies by the end of 1999.

  • Raise awareness of the Scottish education capability in overseas markets - 200 new markets entries for institutions.

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    1.3 Scottish Education + Training has focussed its activity mainly on 5 of its 7 agreed priority markets - Argentina, South Africa and Russia were there are definite merits in playing 'the Scottish card,' South Korea which was seen as a market of potential but where there were barriers for individual institutions to progress and the important market in the Gulf States. Two other priority markets of India and China have still to be substantially developed. All the priority markets have been identified as lucrative in the long term, but with significant risk to institutions attempting individual approach.
    1.4.1 There is also now an increasing need for representation and collaboration both within Scotland and at a UK level in a number of international initiatives e.g. the Prime Minister's Initiative. The existence of Scottish Education + Training has enabled this to happen effectively and to ensure a unified voice for Scottish education in the UK and overseas.
    1.5 By the end of the first three-year period m of additional overseas earnings can be attributed to the activity of Scottish Education + Training in key markets and 160 new market entries for institutions have been achieved.
    1.6 Strategic alliances with international partners have been established which it is anticipated will lead to long-term gain.
    The cross-sectoral activity has developed greater understanding of the benefits of working together within the sector and a number of significant collaborations between institutions are now in place.
    2. The Next Three Years
    At a major conference attended by sectoral representatives in February 2000 there was agreement that Scottish Education + Training should continue activity in the 7 priority markets already identified and that these should then be reviewed in 2003.
    The five main areas that will become the focus of Scottish Education + Training strategy will be partnerships, representation, promotion, web-based services and collaboration. A more detailed outline of what we will do in each of these areas is given below, followed by an operational plan of activity for 2000/2001. This operational plan will be reviewed on a regular basis with an outline plan of activity for 2001/2003 being produced during 2000.
    Scottish Education + Training provides the Scottish education sector with
  • National co-ordination of activity across all sectors
  • Facilitation of cross-sectoral working groups for SE+T key markets
  • Access to representation at some education fairs through a Scottish Eduation + Training Stand
  • Access to Scottish education missions and other in-country activity
  • Direct access to all British Council offices globally and all key HQ departments
  • Direct access to all STI offices globally
  • EducationUK Scotland brand co-ordination and management within the wider Prime Minister's Initiative
  • Market introductions in all of our key markets and access to information in any other country
  • Credibility not attained through individual institution visits

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    In the first three years the Scottish Education + Training secretariat has been funded jointly by British Council Scotland and Scottish Trade International. For the next three years they will still continue to fund but on a reduced scale with the sector itself also putting in funding (from overarching sectoral bodies rather than from individual institutions.)
    3 Strategy - What We Will Do
    3.1 Partnerships in Scotland
    Scottish Education + Training aims to be identified by the education sector in Scotland as a valuable asset and will work in partnership with key agencies in Scotland to support educational exports from Scotland.
    Scottish Education + Training works with all Higher Education institutions, Further Education institutions, Independent Schools, accredited English Language Schools and over-arching bodies.
    TARGET:By 2003 70% of Scottish Education institutions (HE, FE, SELTIC and Boarding Schools) and 100% of key partners to state they are committed to SE+T as a valuable service and support its continuation.
    TARGET:Maintain 50% BC/STI funding and 50% sectoral funding until March 2003.
    3.2 Representation at UK Level
  • Scottish Education + Training will work closely with the partners involved in the Prime Minister's Initiative to attract more international students to the UK. The aspirational targets set for the initiative are:
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  • to increase the UK's market share of higher education students in relation to major competitors (USA, Australia and Canada) from 17% in 1996-97 to 25% by 2005;
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  • an additional 50,000 non-EU overseas (5,000 in Scotland); and
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  • to double the number of overseas students at UK further education colleges by 2005 - an additional 25,000 students (2,500 in Scotland).
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    Scottish Education + Training will assist and contribute towards the aim of these targets being achieved by the Scottish HE and FE sectors. Scottish Education + Training will do this in a number of ways including:
  • working to ensure UK diversity is recognised and valued within the PM's Initiative and other UK education and training initiatives;
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  • working with the British Council Education Counselling Service (ECS) on brand co-ordination;
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  • promoting the EducationUK Scotland logo and the new Scottish Education + Training website; and
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  • actively seeking to increase the number of Chevening scholars in Scotland as a proportion of the number of Chevening scholars in the UK as a whole.
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    TARGET:To increase awareness within British Council of UK education diversity by ensuring 100% of relevant BC information and training sources include the Scottish dimension.
    TARGET:To increase the awareness within Scotland of UK education activity and increase knowledge of Scottish education at a UK level by attendence at 75% of relevant forums each year until the end of 2003.
    TARGET:Annual monitoring of international student numbers into Scotland for SE+T Priority markets and Priority 1 and 2 countries for PM's Initiative.
    3.3 International Promotion
    Scottish Education + Training will promote the education sector through specific activity in 7 key markets and in general across all British Council and STI offices overseas. Scottish Education + Training will continue to support and monitor all new market entries from Year 1 to 3.
    TARGET: To contribute to an increase in Scottish education exports of million from April 2000 to March 2003.
    TARGET: By March 2003 to have a further 50 new institutional market entries.
    TARGET: To have implemented operational plans for 7 priority countries by March 2003.
    TARGET: Annual report to be produced monitoring activity and outcomes.
    3.4.1 Web-Based Services
    Scottish Education + Training will increase use of its own website as an effective resource and gateway to the education sector in Scotland.
    TARGET:To have Scottish Education + Training's website active by July 2000 and to monitor 'hit rate' and set targets by March 2001.
    3.5 Collaboration
    Scottish Education + Training will facilitate an open environment which supports institutions to work collectively and collaboratively to ensure quality and long-term sustainability.
    TARGET: To create opportunities for cross-sectoral and collaborative activities by the continuation of 4 working groups, the development of a further 2 working groups by March 2001 and by Scottish Education + Training participation in all relevant sectoral groups by March 2001.
    Scottish Education + Training

    September 2000
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