The agreement will standardise delivery of UOL International Programme exams in 75 countries, such as Brazil, China, India, Pakistan and Tunisia, and see the council deliver more than 117,000 exams over the next three years.

The move is expected to give students better access to taking UOL qualifications and should maintain the university’s reach in offshore markets.

Professor Jonathan Kydd, dean of the University of London International Programmes, said: “In effect, we have formalised our longstanding relationship with the British Council, which has been a key player for many years now in administering our examinations at a local level.”

More than 52,000 students in 190 countries take UOL International Programmes, and a number of organisations help deliver UOL exams. The British Council has handled a large proportion of this over a period of years and said the agreement would make joint services “consistent” across countries involved in the partnership. This will involve a standardised pricing structure which makes local information on exam fees more transparent.

Professor Kydd said: “This is exciting news for students because they can more easily find out where they can go and sit their exams and how much it is going to cost them. Regions will also have pricing arrangements that are correct for them. This will take account of local needs and the circumstances of that country, because we are all about providing our students with good access.”

Neither organisation said the agreement was designed to increase UOL’s market reach, but the deal should help the university remain a market leader in the competitive offshore education market.

Each year, the British Council generates £50million in export earnings for UK awarding bodies

Mark Walker, director of examinations at the British Council, said, “The University of London has a long history of making education widely available and we are very pleased to be working with them to make their qualifications available around the globe.”

Each year, the British Council generates £50million in export earnings for UK awarding bodies through its examinations service, not including related sales in publishing and training provision. As well as delivering exams, it promotes exam bodies through its websites and other media.