Education partnerships

International education relationships work best when the intended activity, authority and contribution of each party are understood from the outset. IESG helps institutions prepare for partnership discussions and coordinate the work required to move from an introduction to an informed decision.

Discuss a partnership requirement

When this service is useful

Your institution may be seeking recruitment relationships in a particular market, exploring cooperation with another provider, reviewing an existing channel or considering a defined programme initiative.

The requirement may be commercial, academic or operational. Before proposing a route, we establish the purpose, the types of organisation involved and which decisions need to be made by the institution or another authorised body.

We work with universities, colleges, schools, vocational and language providers, recruitment organisations and specialist education service businesses. The suitability of an engagement depends on the work required and the availability of reliable information.

Establishing the partnership brief

We help your team set out:

The institutional objective and the learners or markets concerned.
The activity you wish to develop and the contribution you can offer.
The legal entity and people authorised to discuss the opportunity.
The characteristics and capabilities required of a prospective partner.
The resources, timing and internal approvals relevant to the work.
Matters that are fixed and matters open to negotiation.

A clear brief gives prospective partners enough information to assess relevance, while keeping confidential or commercially sensitive detail within an appropriate discussion.

Use the partnership brief guide

Identifying and preparing for relevant discussions

Potential routes are considered against the brief. The process may involve reviewing public information, examining supplied documentation, seeking clarification and arranging a structured discussion.

An introduction establishes an opportunity to speak. It does not establish that the parties are suitable for every proposed activity. Where further checks are required, we identify the question to be resolved and who should provide or assess the information.

For institutions using EducationB2B, the platform offers its own membership and interaction routes. We explain when a platform route is appropriate and when a separately scoped institutional service is needed.

Coordinating the work after an introduction

Partnership discussions can stall when requests, decisions and responsibilities are left in separate email exchanges. We can help establish a common working record: matters discussed, information requested, responsible contacts, decision dates and the next agreed actions.

For a proposed programme or more substantial collaboration, coordination may extend to a responsibility schedule and an implementation plan. Academic approval, programme rights and legal commitments remain with the organisations entitled to make them.

Programme partnership support

What an engagement can deliver

The written scope identifies the outputs appropriate to your requirement. They may include:

An institutional partnership brief.
Partner selection criteria and a record of sources reviewed.
A discussion agenda and information-request schedule.
Meeting records and an action tracker.
A responsibility schedule for the proposed activity.
A summary of unresolved matters and the decisions required to proceed.

Outputs are designed for use by the institution's decision-makers. A research note is identified as research; an unresolved question is not presented as a completed verification.

Your institution's contribution

Appoint a contact who can coordinate internal information and identify the people authorised to approve the initiative. Provide accurate programme and operating information, disclose relevant restrictions and tell us when a material assumption changes.

The participating organisations negotiate and sign their agreements through their authorised representatives. Any recruitment targets, commercial terms, exclusivity, fees or payment arrangements require their own agreement. An IESG introduction does not determine these matters.

EducationB2B as a partnership route

Where your requirement concerns participation in a professional partnership network, EducationB2B may provide an appropriate starting point. Its published membership rules govern applications and participation.

Explore EducationB2B · Check platform eligibility

Questions before an engagement

Can you introduce a particular type of partner?

Describe the requirement and the markets concerned. We first consider whether the brief is sufficiently defined and whether there is an appropriate route to relevant discussions. We do not promise a number of introductions or signed agreements before assessing the work.

Can we commission support for an existing partnership?

Yes. A defined review or coordination task can address an existing relationship. The scope should identify what the institution wants to understand or change and which information is available for review.

Does an introduction include a full partner investigation?

The agreed scope determines the checks included. If a decision calls for additional commercial, legal or specialist investigation, the responsible party and the need for separate expertise should be established.

How are fees agreed?

The proposed activities, outputs and client responsibilities form the basis of a written engagement. Platform membership and any third-party services follow their own terms.

Fees and engagement

Discuss the relationship you want to build

Send a short description of your institution, the intended activity, target market and type of partner. Include the decision you need to make and any fixed constraints. We will use that information to define the appropriate next discussion.

Discuss a partnership requirement