Investment in Global Education

Australian trends in curriculum and development often follow the British experience. The British government's decision to restrict study visas for international students, while also increasing fees and entertaining Brexit, has through the higher education sector into turmoil in ways which would prove informative for the Australian HE sector. The same can be said for the K-12 sector, particularly in the area of educational technology (which knows no borders). A conference held in London in 2017 produced some interesting reflections from Ian Koxvold, Education Strategy team leader at PwC and Ed Tranham, editor and publisher of The Assignment Report. Koxvold noted that what was 'hot' in approaches to PWC at the moment are services which:

• reduce the administrative and cognitive load on teachers and administrators
• improve Student recruitment
• and facilitate large employer engagement, such that education can be seen to have a positive outcome for students.

Ed Tranham particularly pointed to:

• Early years provision - both private equity and schools
• International schools (Cognita and others)
• Back office school support services (technology businesses which provide end to end services for schools)
• Tutoring companies 'are back in the news', and 
• Apprenticeship and employment provision
• Coding, STEM and etc. Empiribox, for instance, has raised GBP1 million to provide an entire primary curriculum in Stages 1 and 2.

Many investors were focusing on scalability (international appeal); impact on student outcomes, and impact on school efficiency/ effectiveness. 

John Lloyd, the chief marketing officer at impact investors ClearlySo, which focuses on positive social returns. He noted that there was almost no impact from Brexit on UK operations, though they expected some impact (e.g. among knowledge worker HR supply). Emerge Education was another contributor, noting their investment in works all around the world. 

The questions for the Australian school planter are: 1. where are the Australian equivalents? 2. if there are no equivalents, is there space for involvement from international investors; 3. how will a Brexit arrangement, and a bilateral trade agreement with Britain, assist in the goals of Christian school planting around the world?

​20.12.2019