NCUK successfully hosts the China Partner Conference 2026
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On 29 July, the NCUK China Partner Conference 2026 brought together representatives from NCUK’s leadership team, UK organisations, university partners and Study Centres from across China to explore developments in international education, celebrate partnership achievements and discuss future collaboration.
As a leading international education provider, NCUK continues to connect students, Study Centres and university partners around the world. The conference highlighted the strength of NCUK’s global community and reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to delivering high-quality international education.
The conference was officially opened by Xiao Huang, Regional Director of China at NCUK. This was followed by keynote presentations from Stuart Smith, Chief Executive Officer at NCUK (pictured left), and Alan White, Governance and Board Support at NCUK, who shared updates on NCUK’s latest developments and future direction.
One of the highlights of the conference was the celebration of NCUK receiving the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, one of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious business honours. The award recognises NCUK’s outstanding contribution to international education, its continued commitment to strengthening global educational partnerships, and its success in supporting students to progress to leading universities worldwide.
The conference also welcomed distinguished speakers from UK organisations and partner universities, reflecting the breadth and strength of NCUK’s international collaboration.
Amanda Zhou, Senior Education Manager at the British Council (pictured left), shared insights into the latest trends in UK international education and provided official updates relating to studying in the UK, offering valuable perspectives on the evolving international education landscape.
Representing the University of Birmingham, Jane Tian, Senior Country Manager for China, shared the University’s successful partnership with NCUK and highlighted the support it continues to provide to NCUK students and Study Centres. The participation of both UK organisations and leading universities demonstrated the collaborative approach that underpins NCUK’s global community and its strong relationships across the higher education sector.
The conference also featured updates from Ben Bilverstone, Recruitment and Conversion Director at NCUK, who shared the latest developments across recruitment and conversion, providing partners with updates on NCUK’s ongoing work to strengthen student recruitment, progression and university partnerships.
Collaboration with Study Centres has always been central to NCUK’s success. During the Client Success sharing session, Eva Hao, Manager of International Programmes, and Xiaoyan Chen, Psychological Well-being Teacher, from the School of International Education of Harbin Institute of Technology, Weihai, together with Zhao Rong, Principal, Chengdu No.7 High School International Department, shared their experiences with fellow partners. Their presentations encouraged knowledge exchange and highlighted the collective commitment of NCUK Study Centres to delivering high-quality education and supporting student success.
The conference concluded with a Partner Recognition Ceremony, celebrating Study Centres that have partnered with NCUK for 10, 15, 20 and 25 years. These milestones recognised not only the longevity of each partnership, but also the trust, shared values and long-term commitment developed over many years. This strong and sustainable partnership network continues to be one of the foundations of NCUK’s success and an important driver of its future growth.
As international education continues to evolve, collaboration remains at the heart of sustainable development. Looking ahead, NCUK will continue to work closely with partner universities, Study Centres and organisations across the sector, placing student success at the centre of its mission. By strengthening international partnerships and continually enhancing the quality of its programmes and services, NCUK remains committed to creating more opportunities for students to access world-leading universities and supporting the continued advancement of international education.