Evaluation

This report is a synthesis analysis of outcomes from a sample of the British Council’s Global Arts Programmes. It provides evidence of how the programmes strengthen creative, social and economic development and help to build trust between the arts, culture, heritage and creative industry sectors in the UK and internationally. It also highlights gaps in evidence. The report is based on a review of 13 evaluation reports from across the three Global Arts Programmes: Culture Connects, Creative Economy and Culture Responds.

Circular Culture is an initiative of the British Council in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. It provides financial resources and training to promote artistic exchange between Latin American and the Caribbean (LATAC) countries and the United Kingdom through strengthening the offering of cultural festivals and promoting sustainable cultural development. Circular Culture has made significant contributions to participants’ knowledge, skills, and competencies.

The British Council commissioned Ipsos UK to provide monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) support to the Schools Connect (SC) programme. This support has included three deep-dives in Iraq, Pakistan and Zimbabwe in 2024.

Alumni UK is the largest global network for international UK alumni, connecting people around the world who have studied a UK education.

British Council invited members of Alumni UK to tell us about:
• Their UK study experience
• Their decisions about their further education, career and life journey
• Their views of the Alumni UK programme
• Their views of the world today, and their opinions of the UK’s place in the world

This is a snapshot of selected findings from the survey responses

English without Borders is a strategy developed by the British Council that seeks to strengthen the learning of English of students through a virtual English course with an intensity of between 4 and 6 hours per week. The classes are led with a predominantly communicative, participatory, and student-centred approach. The British Council has implemented the English without Borders program since 2021. During its first year, it was offered to students from public schools in Bogotá.

Education Hubs’ primary aim is to give representatives of UK higher education, technical and vocational providers good quality information to inform decisions about their overseas activities. There is a global website and 6 regional hubs. Up until Feb 2024, the website saw the publication of 288 opportunities, 145 news posts, 32 reports, 27 blogs and 15 Market Intelligence Briefs. These insights are utilised by Education providers and regional and national influencers to make decisions.

The Creative Economy programme in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) has concluded the second of three years of delivery across 11 countries. In 2022-23, 3,821 young creatives (aged 18-35) were supported to acquire new skills and knowledge, using arts as an enabler, and to create bilateral connections between countries in SSA and the UK. The results found a 40% improvement in business modelling and project management, and a 90% improvement in grant management through improved understanding of the creative economy.

The UK/Viet Nam Season 2023 was a British Council initiative celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries and 30 years of the British Council’s presence in Viet Nam. It took place during 2023 with the project-based activity mostly concentrated in the second half of the calendar year.

Alumni UK is the largest global network for international UK alumni, connecting people around the world who have studied a UK education.

British Council invited members of Alumni UK to tell us about:
• Their UK study experience
• Their decisions about their further education, career and life journey
• Their views of the Alumni UK programme
• Their views of the world today, and their opinions of the UK’s place in the world