A group of adults sitting by the same table and smiling

Date: Thursday 2 March 2023

The British Council invited education agents for the second series of East Asia Virtual Agents Briefing Session on Thursday 2 March 2023. Guest speakers from UKVI, IELTS, BUILA (British Universities’ International Liaison Association) and English UK attended to deliver the latest updates about studying in the UK for the 2023/24 academic year and what support they can offer for international students. What’s more, representatives from the UKVI office in mainland China, North East Asia and South East Asia also presented and answered questions. 

Timetable:

Time (GMT) Activity
08.00 Webinar begins
08.00-08.05 Welcome remarks by Leighton Ernsberger, East Asia Cultural Engagement Business Director, British Council 
08.05-09.05 Prepare your students ready for studying in the UK in the 2023/24 academic year
08.05-08.20 Building success for your students – understanding the UK’s education agent quality assurance framework
by 
Philippa Collins Robson, Executive Director, BUILA
Chris Davis, Chris Davis, Senior Consultant, Edified
08.20-08.35 English with Confidence | a briefing from English UK (15 mins)
by Roz McGill, Project Manager (Market Development), English UK
08.35-08.50 British Council IELTS and partnership opportunities for agents (15 mins)
by Ben Wakeford, IELTS Global Relations Manager, IELTS
08.50-09.05 UK Student Visa Application and Policy Update (15 mins)
by Jaymee Gonzales, Visa Outreach Officer, UKVI
09.05-09.20 Q&A (15 mins)
09.20-10.00 In-country breakout session (by invitation only)

Programme: 

In this session, representatives from British Universities’ International Liaison Association (BUILA) will talk about in the latest developments in the UK’s agent quality assurance framework, including the British Council Agent Hub and Good Practice Guides for agents and students.

Guest speakers:
Philippa Collins Robson, Executive Director, BUILA
Chris Davis, Senior Consultant, Edified

The UK is the home of the English language, so there is no better place for your students to master their English skills. Obtaining good level of English will help your students to go further in their careers and improve their confidence. In this session, you will get the latest news and updates from the UK’s English language teaching sector and expert tips on how to advise your students with confidence.

Guest speaker:
Roz McGill, Project Manager (Market Development), English UK

With steady easing of border measures in the region, the level of interest in studying abroad will increase this year. In this session, you will get an update about the IELTS test as well as to introduce exciting partnership opportunities with the British Council IELTS for EA agents.  

Guest speaker:
Ben Wakeford, IELTS Global Relations Manager,  IELTS

In the last session, we are delighted to invite UKVI representatives from mainland China, North East Asia and South East Asia to meet and answer questions from our overseas education advisors. You will hear the latest update and useful information on:

  • Visa Application Process
  • Visa Options for Students
  • Student Visa Supporting Document Checklist 
  • Post-Study Options 

Guest speaker:
Jaymee Gonzales, Visa Outreach Officer, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)

Presentation files:

  • British Council IELTS and partnership opportunities for agents - download here
  • BUILA update - education agent quality assurance framework - download here
  • English with Confidence | a briefing from English UK - download here
  • UKVI updates - 02 March 2023 - download here

External links