Launch of A Guide to UK Higher Education and Partnerships for Overseas Universities
18 July 2011
In a first of its kind for the UK HE International Unit, and at a time when UK HE is under attack from overseas, a Guide launched last week provides a definitive overview of the quality and diversity of UK universities, highlighting the potential on offer to international students and university partners.
More than 50 delegates attended the launch of ‘A Guide to UK Higher Education and Partnerships for Overseas Universities’, chaired by Professor Paul Webley, Principal and Director of SOAS.
Available in English, Arabic and Chinese, it serves as a starting point for overseas institutions interested in establishing collaborations with UK higher education institutions (HEIs).
It is aimed at staff working in universities around the world where there is an interest and willingness to collaborate with UK HE.
The Guide offers a narrative on the history of UK higher education, the role of internationalisation, a summary of the different types of collaborative activity in which HEIs are engaged, and the key issues to consider such as visa and immigration laws and the legal regulation of partnerships.
The event drew an international audience, including representatives from the Embassies of France, Finland and Indonesia, UK university staff and British Council representatives.
Professor Paul Webley gave a short welcome and introduced the key speakers: Professor Steve Baskerville, lead report author and HE consultant, Jo Attwooll, Policy Advisor specialising in visa and immigration issues at Universities UK, and Nicholas Saunders, Senior Associate at Eversheds law firm.
Professor Baskerville provided an overview of the report, focusing particularly on the internationalisation of UK higher education, why universities do it and why they are so successful at it. He also addressed the different types of collaborative activity involved, including staff and student mobility, joint and dual degrees, research collaboration, validation and accreditation.
Jo Attwooll gave an update on the latest visa and immigration regulatory issues in the UK, an area currently undergoing great change with a potentially significant impact on UK universities’ international activities.
Rounding off the presentations, Nicholas Saunders addressed the critically important legal factors that must be taken into account in all international endeavours.
He emphasised the need for both sides in a partnership to understand the legal and regulatory framework which will govern the relationship and the importance of conducting thorough due diligence.
He noted the difference between UK and US universities in their approach international partnerships: It is commonplace at US universities to have in-house legal teams working on such issues whereas in the UK, universities are only now beginning to take seriously the need to bring a good legal team on board.
Following the presentations the panel took questions from the audience which ranged from the value and sustainability of branch campuses to the effectiveness and validity of Memorandums of Understanding.
Another point raised was that of countries not wishing to be governed by UK law. An argument often put forward under the guise of ‘old world colonialism’. Nicholas Saunders agreed this was sometimes the case and that UK universities should seek legal advice before taking the partnership any further. He advised that in some cases arbitration may be necessary, and it may be advisable to use a third country’s legal system to avoid dispute.
Rounding off the session, a question from a British Council representative asked if there was in fact ‘partnership fatigue’, especially given current domestic distractions. In response, Professor Baskerville said that partnerships are becoming important competitively and aiding in recruiting international students. There is not an option to ‘get out of the international business’.
Click HERE to download all three language versions of the report
