Additionally, the organisation has revealed a China Academic Advisory Board, which it says will support continued growth in China and improve the quality of the English language and academic study support programs.

“Our sector-leading education services are vital to help prepare students for international study and achieve the best academic success,” Gary Palmer, director of the Oxford International Digital Institute said.

“Oxford International aims to be the leading partner for universities to continue academic collaboration between China and the UK.”

Under the new plans, Oxford International will offer the mix of in-person and digital pre-sessional programs for the first time. It has previously run online versions of the pre-masters and undergraduate foundation programs via its Digital Institute.

“The blended pre-sessional is going through the roof”

“The reason we are so excited about this is that the blended PSE we offered proved to be more popular than the online PSE and the interest for the new blended UG and PG foundation programs is already well into three figures even though they have only just launched and the blended pre-sessional is going through the roof,” explained David Pilsbury, chief development officer at Oxford International.

“Covid has taught us that students really want face to face, but they also want the convenience of online learning – this provides them with the best of both worlds – and allows them to study, work or do whatever else excites and interests them whilst they are studying.”

The program is delivered in five places across China, with ambitions to extend to an additional 10 locations, before extending into the wider SE Asia region, Pilsbury detailed.

The new advisory board will create materials and share industry expertise to “significantly enhance cross-cultural learning programs, including linking with the development program of the British Council”, the company added.

It comprises representatives from Oxford International’s UK and Chinese partners, as well as the British Council, and will engage directly with the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange and Chinese Education Association for International Exchange.

“It is also novel that a private provider has created a really meaningful partnership with public sector providers in the UK and in China – and even more so that we have the British Council and CSCSE and CEAIE in the mix with the advisory board,” Pilsbury added.

“This is what the sector needs in my view, new models that bring all the key stakeholders together to define new ways of working and to make sure they get delivered to enhance learning outcomes through innovation, pursuing quality and scaling.”