Cultural relations in schools are mutually beneficial partnerships and activities that take place between education systems. They refer to the mutual exchange of cultural activities between people to develop long-term relationships, trust and understanding, enabling us to meet today’s learning needs and address tomorrow’s global challenges.

This study provides an overview of the benefits and impact of schools collaborating internationally through a cultural relations approach. It begins by providing a definition and situating education programming within the broader landscape of cultural relations. The research then provides an overview of how various cultural institutions conceptualise and integrate cultural relations through schools in their programming. Finally, it analyses the British Council’s work in this area: providing evidence from its overall programming aims and implementation in seven partner countries.

Key findings:

• Education programmes that apply a cultural relations approach are distinguished by elements of mutuality, sustainable partnerships and a focus on global challenges. 
• The cultural organisations sampled as part of the study conceptualise cultural collaboration, including in education, in different ways, integrating it in their programming to varying extents.
• Compared to other organisations, the British Council has a distinctive, much broader range of programming that aims to deliver quality education and which supports internationalisation of both UK and global classrooms.
• The British Council’s work with schools also has added value for education in the UK.