CHED, British Council expand global education access

MANILA — The Commission on Higher Education and the British Council are advancing a national strategy to expand transnational higher education, or TNHE, giving more Filipino students access to internationally recognized qualifications without necessarily studying overseas.

Earlier this month, CHED and the British Council convened more than 70 representatives from government agencies, higher education institutions, development partners, and international institutions to refine the Philippines’ TNHE National Strategy and its implementation roadmap through 2030.

The initiative could widen access to global education while helping address skills gaps in sectors important to Philippine economic growth, particularly technology, health care, engineering, and business services.

Bringing international programs closer to Filipino learners may also reduce some of the financial and geographic barriers associated with studying abroad while allowing students to develop qualifications and skills aligned with international standards and domestic workforce needs.

The TNHE strategy seeks to connect Filipino learners with globally benchmarked education and industry-relevant skills in technology, health care, engineering, and business services.

The strategy also supports national development priorities, including workforce competitiveness and expansion of the digital economy.

International education partnerships are being positioned as a tool to strengthen Philippine higher education and talent development.

Through partnerships with United Kingdom institutions, Philippine universities could draw on a higher education system that includes three of the world’s top 10 universities, according to the British Council.

The partnerships are intended to provide Filipino students with access to international expertise, innovative teaching approaches, and internationally recognized qualifications while remaining responsive to the needs of Philippine industries and communities.

Workshop participants identified priority actions, governance arrangements, financing approaches, and monitoring mechanisms for implementing the strategy over the next four years.

“The TNHE National Strategy supports CHED’s Achieve Agenda 2030, particularly our commitment to internationalization. It creates global opportunities for Filipino students and faculty, brings quality international education to the Philippines’ human capital development, keeps higher education responsive to industry and workforce needs, and vitalizes governance that protects quality while enabling innovation,” says CHED Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis in a recorded message.

The strategy builds on a national framework established under Republic Act No. 11448, or the Transnational Higher Education Act, which was enacted in 2019 to expand access to educational services through partnerships involving Philippine and foreign higher education institutions.

CHED further issued Memorandum Order No. 6, series of 2025, setting the application process for institutions seeking authority to offer transnational higher education programs under the law.

TNHE can include arrangements in which programs, qualifications, or parts of an academic course from an institution in one country are delivered to students located in another country.

The British Council and CHED have collaborated on transnational education initiatives for years, including programs that supported partnerships between Philippine and UK universities.

An earlier pilot involved 11 Philippine universities and nine UK universities and resulted in 17 UK-Philippine master’s and doctoral degree programs in specialized fields, according to the British Council.

TNHE also provides another pathway for Filipinos seeking international qualifications by bringing UK education opportunities closer to students in the Philippines.

The approach could help develop capabilities needed in an increasingly technology-driven economy while allowing institutions to adapt international programs to local conditions.

“Transnational higher education is most impactful when it is aligned with national priorities. By connecting Philippine institutions with leading international partners and drawing on the UK’s experience in international education partnerships, TNHE brings new knowledge, expertise and opportunities into the country, helping Filipino learners build the capabilities they need to participate and succeed in a changing global economy,” shared Lotus Postrado, the Country Director of the British Council Philippines.

Demand for international education among Filipinos continues to grow, according to figures cited by CHED and the British Council.

In the 2024-25 academic year, 1,225 Filipino students enrolled in UK higher education institutions.

Another 655 Filipino students studied through UK TNHE programs delivered in the Philippines during the same academic year.

The figures point to continued demand for UK qualifications and highlight the potential for additional partnerships between British and Philippine higher education institutions.

The British Council said the UK higher education system places strong emphasis on employability and collaboration with industry, intended to equip graduates for an increasingly competitive global labor market.

“Education remains at the heart of the UK’s partnership with the Philippines. Through Chevening scholarships and education, science and cultural partnerships, we are helping create opportunities, strengthen skills and deliver tangible benefits for communities. This strategy marks an important step in ensuring that Filipino learners can access world-class UK qualifications while building the skills their country needs for the future,” said Sarah Hulton, British Ambassador to the Philippines.

CHED and the British Council said they will continue working with government, universities, and other partners to implement the strategy and expand the role of transnational higher education in the Philippines’ long-term education and talent development agenda.