The UK is now positioning itself as a collaborator, not a destination. That subtle shift reflects how dramatically Southeast Asia’s education landscape has changed — and how global powers are adapting to stay relevant in a region that is increasingly setting its own terms.
In a commentary published by the British Council, its Malaysia director Jazreel Goh makes the case: Southeast Asia is no longer a passive market. It is becoming a regional engine of talent, research and innovation. And the UK, she argues, must evolve with it.
‘Southeast Asia is writing its own story’
Goh offers a candid assessment of the region’s rising confidence. “Southeast Asia is writing its own story,” she says, noting that top-down knowledge transfer from Western institutions is being rapidly replaced by local and regional leadership.
She points to a surge in intra-ASEAN collaboration, the strengthening of local research ecosystems, and a booming international school sector. More than 600,000 students are now enrolled in international schools across Southeast Asia, a 25% jump since 2017 — a sign that families increasingly view the region as a credible education hub.
Meanwhile, universities across Asia are climbing the ladder. “Thirty-two Asian universities now appear in the Times Higher Education Global Top 200 lists,” she writes, while QS representation has grown from 33 to 40 in the past decade. These numbers point to a region no longer dependent on Western systems for excellence.
The UK’s response: collaborate
Britain’s pivot towards partnership, rather than recruitment, is intentional.
“We aim to be active collaborators,” Goh says. “We are committed to co-creating knowledge, not just exporting it.”
Under the ASEAN–UK Plan of Action (2022–2026), the UK has rolled out a series of co-funded initiatives aligned with regional priorities — including the Supporting the Advancement of Girls’ Education (SAGE) programme, the ASEAN–UK Green Transition Fund, and Women in STEM scholarships.
“These are built on joint priorities,” she says. “They are tools for mutual transformation, not unilateral outreach.”
The UK knows that influence in this region will no longer come from simply enrolling more students in British universities. Instead, it must embed itself inside ASEAN’s knowledge networks, research agendas and educational reforms.
Student mobility shrinking, but strategic relevance rising
Goh acknowledges that outbound student numbers from Southeast Asia may shrink — but argues that this is not necessarily a loss.
“The student cohort from Southeast Asia to the UK may get smaller, perhaps more selective, but higher in quality,” she notes. What matters now is the depth of partnerships, not the volume of students.
She argues that UK institutions must compete “in knowledge partnerships, not just student numbers.” The competition has shifted, and the UK must shift with it.
A new education battleground
The geopolitical undertones are unmistakable. For decades, Western countries shaped Southeast Asia’s education pathways. Today, that centre of gravity is moving.
“Southeast Asia today is a region of innovation and ambition,” Goh writes. “The narrative is changing from mobility to mutuality, from legacy to leadership, and from transactional partnerships to transformative collaboration.”
In other words, the old hierarchies no longer hold. Any country — including the UK — that hopes to stay relevant must operate differently. ‘The future will be shaped not by old hierarchies, but new solidarities.’ Goh added, “the future of global education will be shaped not by old hierarchies, but by new solidarities.”
It is both an observation and a warning. Southeast Asia is becoming a region that can educate, train and nurture its own talent, while shaping global conversations in digital transformation, climate adaptation and public health. And countries like the UK are recalibrating their strategies to keep pace with this rise. Goh’s commentary leaves little ambiguity: Southeast Asia no longer sees itself as a market to be served, but as a partner to be respected.
Britain, sensing the shift, is adjusting its posture — from a destination of choice to a collaborator of necessity.
