‘The team at Cambridge Regional College has been working successfully in the international market for years. We have 38 partnerships in 17 countries and we are always open to new markets and new opportunities. I knew that Kazakhstan had great potential for us but always considered it to be a long term project. I didn’t feel we knew enough about the market or that we had the calibre of contacts that could enable us to make any significant impact there. Sending mailshots or attending events is easy, but getting direct access to a minister is the kind of thing that really makes a difference, and we didn’t have that access.

‘As members of TVET UK, we were supplied with a wealth of useful background information on the education sector within Kazakhstan. TVET UK has signed an MOU with the Kazakh government and so has access to places and people that we could not have gained as a lone organisation without a lot of effort and organisation – if at all.

‘All these opportunities have made our investment in TVET UK membership pay dividends.’

‘I decided to join a mission to the country led by TVET UK Executive Director Matthew Anderson, and am very glad that I did. I’m an old hand at the international market and I have never had anything happen as quickly as it did in May 2008! We signed a contract for sizeable project with South Kazakhstan College of Law and Branch Technology and within just six months, our partner college has already invested in the infrastructure necessary for the delivery of the project. Usually, we would still be in discussion at this point.

‘On my second TVET UK mission to Kazakhstan I met with three organisations keen to work with Cambridge Regional College in just one day, and I’m confident that these will all bear fruit. We have already signed a second contract with Central Asia University where delivery of a franchised programme will start in September.

‘The TVET UK mission to Egypt also provided us with tangible outcomes and we are now working with a health care training provider evaluating and accrediting the programmes. We are also progressing another link with two other training providers in Egypt. All these opportunities have made our investment in TVET UK membership pay dividends.’