Overview

The UK's higher education sector has seen dramatic expansion in recent years, with the number of both younger and mature students more than doubling since 1979. Increasingly, the sector is also catering for older students, approximately 40% of students today being over the age of 25. There are now over 500,000 part-time students of all ages in the UK.

About 7% of pupils in England attend independent schools, of which there are around 2,230. In Scotland, 4% of pupils attend the approximately 114 independent schools.

Recent research into the value of education and training exports to the UK economy provides a total estimated figure of around £7 billion per annum. The Higher Education and English Language Training sectors each contribute in excess of £1 billion in exports annually to the UK economy. About 210,000 international full-time students study at British universities and higher/further education institutions each year. English Language (ELT), a significant education and training export earner, is also showing continued growth. Examination Boards active in this field reflect this growth trend in overseas markets.

Britain is a major force in international research in many fields, thanks largely to the output of universities. With only 1% of the global population, the UK conducts 5.5% of world research, continuing its strong record of achievement. Many British research teams are also involved in major partnership programmes with their overseas counterparts.

The majority of this information was compiled from details supplied by the British Council, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Education and Employment and the DTI.

Government Partnership with the Education and Training, R&D Sector

Department of Education and Employment (DfEE)
The Government Departments responsible for policy on education and training in the UK are: the DfEE in England, and The Scottish Office Education and Industry Department (SOEID) in Scotland. The Secretaries of State for Wales and Northern Ireland exercise broadly similar responsibilities in their respective countries.

The Government's overall aim within education and training is:

- to support economic growth and improve the nation's competitiveness and quality of life by raising standards of educational achievement and skills;
- to promote an efficient and flexible labour market by enhancing choice, diversity and excellence in education and training, and by encouraging lifelong learning.

For further information please contact the following:

Department for Education and Employment (DfEE)
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3BT
Tel: 020 7925 5000
Fax: 020 7925 6000

National Assembly for Wales
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff CF99 1NA
Tel: 029 20 825111

Northern Ireland Office
Department of Education
Rathgael House
Balloo Road
Bangor
Co. Down BT19 7PR
Tel: 01247 279 356
Fax: 01247 279 271

Training and Employment Agency
39-49 Adelaide Street
Belfast BT2 8FD
Tel: 01232 257 793
Fax: 01232 257 795

Scottish Executive
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh EH6 6QQ
Tel: 0131 244 5565
Fax: 0131 244 5581

Schemes and Initiatives

Promoting SET for Women's Unit
The Unit was set up to tackle women's under-representation in the science, engineering and technology (SET) community. Our aim is to improve the recruitment, retention and progression of women throughout SET education and employment and to increase their involvement in shaping SET policy. Our long-term objective is to achieve a SET community in which it is tacitly assumed that women can have successful, rewarding careers based upon equality of opportunity at every level and throughout all institutions.

The Learning Gateway
The DFES's Learning Gateway makes contact with young people on their own terms, and uses many interesting ways to get them involved in learning. It finds ways to motivate young people who have had a negative experience of school and who are put off by traditional learning. The following schemes are part of The Learning Gateway initiative: Modern Apprenticeships and Connexions.

National Grid for Learning
This is a collection of resources brought together by the UK Government to help raise standards in education and to support lifelong learning.

TeacherNet
TeacherNet is the government's online gateway for teachers. The site contains over 1000 lesson plans, career guidance and easy access to government policy and documentation.

The Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI)
The ALI is responsible for the independent inspection of government-funded work-based training.
Its scope includes provision currently funded:

- through training and enterprise councils (TECs),
- through franchise agreements with further education colleges, as part of the New Deal initiative,
- with the assistance of the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Single Regeneration Budget.

The ALI draws its funds directly from the Department for Education and Employment. The ALI's chief inspector reports annually on standards in government-funded work-based training to the Secretary of State for Education and Employment.

Further Education Development Agency (FEDA)
FEDA is an independent organisation, established in April 1995 to provide services to further education which promote quality, lead curriculum design and development, and enhance effective governance and management. FEDA provides a comprehensive training and conference programme for college personnel, as well as managing a wide range of research and development projects and activities, working closely with the FE sector and other key education and training organisations.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
HEFCE distributes public money for teaching and research to universities and colleges. In doing so, it aims to promote high quality education and research, within a financially healthy sector. The Council also plays a key role in ensuring accountability and promoting good practice.

The Teacher Training Agency (TTA)
The TTA is active in supporting the Government in its drive to promote teaching as a research and evidence-based profession as a means of improving teaching and learning and raising standards. The TTA works with a range of schools, Local Education Authorities and Higher Education Institutions and others to increase teachers' interest in and opportunities to engage with research and evidence at a local and national level. It aims to influence both the supply and demand for research and evidence with and on behalf of teachers.

The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB)
The ECITB is the national training organisation for the engineering construction industry, holding funds on the industry's behalf, and managing training programmes, distributing grants for training and developing qualifications for people across the industry. The ECITB operates under a Board appointed from within the industry by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. It is responsible to both the Government and the industry and is regulated under the Industrial Training Act (1982).

Specific Export Help for the Education and Training Sector

UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment is the Government Organisation that brings together the work of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) in support of British trade and investment overseas. Sector specific export help for the Education and Training, R&D industries can be found on the Trade Partners UK website.

Other Sector Contacts

Listed below is a selection of organisations that can offer assistance to companies in this sector.
A more extensive list of Trade Associations in this sector can be found at the Trade Association Forum web site.
Advisory Scottish Council for Education and Training Targets
120 Bothwell Street
Glasgow G2 7JP
Tel: 0141 228 2532
Fax: 0141 228 2449

Association of Colleges
5th Floor, Centrepoint
New Oxford Street
London WC1A 1DD
Tel: 020 7827 4600
Fax: 020 7827 4650

Association of Recognised English Language Services (ARELS)
2 Pontypool Place
Valentine Place
London SE1 8Q1
Tel: 020 7242 3136 Fax: 020 7928 9378

British Council
10 Spring Gardens
London SW1A 2BN
Tel: 020 7930 8466 Fax: 020 7389 4885

Within its overall remit of promoting educational, technical and cultural co-operation between Britain and other countries, the British Council is especially active in promoting UK education and training services. Its Development and Training Services group actively bids for and manages major education projects for overseas clients, drawing heavily on a wide range of British public and private resources. It also offers promotion opportunities to British companies through co-sponsorship of major arts and educational events overseas.

British Council Education Counselling Service
Bridgewater House
58 Whitworth Street
Manchester M1 61313
Tel: 0161 957 7069 Fax: 0161 957 7561

British Education Suppliers Association (BESA)
20 Beaufort Court
Admirals Way
London E14 9XL
Tel: 020 7537 4997 Fax: 020 7537 4846

BESA is the trade association for the educational supplies industry, representing over 200 leading suppliers of educational resources and services in the UK. BESA report on developments in education and put resource buyers in touch with the right suppliers.

Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges
10 Spring Gardens
London SW1A 2BN
Tel: 020 7389 4004

Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals
St Andrew's House
141 West Nile Street
Glasgow G1 2RN
Tel: 0141 353 1880

Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals
Woburn House
20 Tavistock Square
London WC1H 9HQ
Tel: 020 7419 4111 Fax: 020 7388 8649

Council on International Education Exchange
52 Poland Street
London W1V 4JQ
Tel: 020 7478 2000 Fax: 020 7734 7322

Further Education Funding Council for England
Cheylesmore House
Quinton Road
Coventry CV1 2WT
Tel: 01203 863 000

Further Education National Training Organisation
1-6 Ely Place
London
Tel: 020 7242 4662
Fax: 020 7242 4460

General Teaching Council for Scotland
5 Royal Crescent
Edinburgh EH7 5AF
Tel: 0131 556 0072
Fax: 0131 557 6673

Higher Education Funding Council for England
Northavon House
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol BS16 1QD
Tel: 0117 931 7317

Higher Education National Training Organisation
Ingram House
65 Wilkinson Street
Sheffield S10 2GJ
Tel: 0114 222 1341
Fax: 0114 222 1333

Independent Schools Information Service (ISIS)
56 Buckingham Gate
London SWIE 6AG
Tel: 020 7630 8790 Fax: 020 7828 8483
The ISIS website is a comprehensive guide to independent education in the UK, with full details of 1300 schools within the Independent Schools Council (ISC).

The National Foundation for Educational Research
The Mere
Upton Park
Slough
Berkshire SL1 2DQ
Tel: 01753 574123
Fax: 01753 691632
E-mail: enquiries@nfer.ac.uk

NFER is an independent body undertaking research and development projects in all sectors of the public education system. It aims to gather, analyse and disseminate research-based information, with a view to improving education and training.

Qualifications & Curriculum Authority (QCA)
29 Bolton Street
London W1Y 7PD
Tel: 020 7509 5555 Fax: 020 7509 6666

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) brings together the work of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) and the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA) with additional powers and duties. This gives it a unique overview of curriculum, assessment and qualifications across the whole of education and training.

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
Southgate House
Southgate Street
Gloucester GLI 1UB
Tel: 01452 557000 Fax: 01452 557070

The Scottish Council of Independent Schools
Floor 2/1,
11 Castle Street
Edinburgh
Tel: 0131 220 2106 Fax: 0131 225 8594

Scottish Education & Training
3 Bruntsfield Crescent
Edinburgh EH10 4HD
Tel: 0131 446 9611

Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
Donaldson House
97 Haymarket Terrace
Edinburgh EH12 5HD
Tel: 0131 313 6500
Fax: 0131 313 6500

Scottish Qualifications Authority
24 Douglas Street
Glasgow G2 7NQ
Tel: 0141 248 7900 Fax: 0141 242 2244

Teacher Training Agency (TTA)
Portland House
Stag Place
London SW1E 5TT
Tel: 020 7925 6281

UKCOSA: The Council for International Education
9-17 St Alban's Place
London N1 ONX
Tel: 020 7226 3762

General Business Support, Schemes and Initiatives

DTI For Business
This page lists many of the initiatives that the DTI and other parts of Government currently operate. Included on this page are links with various support schemes and initiatives.

DTI Information Age
This page lists many of the initiatives that the DTI and other parts of Government currently operate. Included on this page are links with schemes and initiatives offering guidance and advice relating to new technology and fast access to information.

DTI International Trade and Investment
This page offers a comprehensive menu of links to sites offering support to exporters (through UK Trade & Investment), investors in the UK and importers into the UK.

Companies House
From this site, you can link to a wide range of Government sites and Professional Bodies that can provide general guidance and support for all UK companies.

The Trade Association Forum
The Trade Association Forum helps associations to deliver best practice to members.

Small Business Service
The Small Business Service operate a number of schemes and initiatives that are designed to help small businesses in a variety of ways. Further information found on their website.

Regulatory Guidance

DTI Regulatory Guidance provides general guidance from the DTI and also links to other relevant DTI web pages.

The Direct Access Government website provides guidance issued by other Government Departments.