Scottish Education Exchange Programme (SEEP) Test and Learn Project Evaluation

Conclusions and recommendations

The SEEP Test and Learn Project made a timely and valuable contribution to Scotland’s international education ambitions in a post-Brexit context. It supported a diverse range of colleges and universities to trial new approaches to mobility and international engagement not easily supported by existing schemes like Turing. The programme was particularly effective at re-energising institutions’ international activity and was successful in building capacity and confidence, especially among colleges and less internationally experienced teams.

Enabling innovation and change

While the Test and Learn Project was relatively small-scale its flexible design, strategic alignment with institutional aims, and supportive management approach were highly valued. The funding often acted as an enabler of strategic intent, helping institutions unlock additional resources and embed international activity into longer-term plans. The Test and Learn Project model has demonstrated demand, potential, and impact even at modest funding levels, particularly when grants are designed to encourage collaboration and reduce administrative burden.

Challenges and lessons

The evaluation has highlighted challenges around application timelines, delivery timeframes, institutional capacity, and longer-term sustainability. While these are not uncommon in pilot schemes, they need consideration in any future mobility programmes. SEEP was not designed as a long-term funding stream but its Test and Learn Project approach has laid the potential for sustained international engagement.

Changing policy landscape

Since the evaluation was commissioned, the UK Government has announced its intention to rejoin the Erasmus+ programme. This is a development that, if followed through, could expand the range of international opportunities available to Scotland’s learners and institutions. In this context, any future mobility project would be well-placed to serve as a complementary and enabling programme, bridging gaps in provision, supporting pre-engagement activity, and enabling wider participation, especially for those institutions or project types that may not immediately access Erasmus+ opportunities.

Recommendations

Recommendation 1: For any future mobility scheme, align programme design with academic cycles.

Many delivery challenges were linked to the compressed timelines of the Test and Learn Project cycles. Earlier notice of funding rounds, more lead-in time, and flexibility to deliver over multiple academic years would allow institutions to plan more strategically, engage partners meaningfully, and embed mobility into core curricula. Coordinating SEEP’s timing with the academic calendar and major policy initiatives would strengthen institutional engagement and support long-term outcomes.

Recommendation 2: For any future mobility scheme, strengthen support and build capacity.

SEEP’s flexible design supported colleges and institutions newer to international engagement, but further support is needed to build confidence and capacity across the sector. This could include mentoring schemes, shared applications between sectors, or clearer guidance tailored to different institutional contexts. Future application processes should also review language and criteria to ensure that they resonate with both colleges and universities and support a broad diversity of projects.

Recommendation 3: Facilitate sector collaboration and shared learning.

SEEP encouraged engagement and collaboration within and between institutions around international education. This momentum could be harnessed through a community of practice, or similar, to support peer learning and the sharing of tools, templates, and experiences. This would help to scale good practice, support continuous improvement, and help embed internationalisation within the institutions.

Recommendation 4: Formalise engagement with strategic stakeholders to provide oversight and coherence to future developments.

To ensure SEEP continues to meet sector needs and contributes to wider policy objectives, there should be regular meetings of a cross-sector steering group involving Colleges Scotland, Universities Scotland, the British Council, and other key partners.