We create opportunities worldwide: As the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations, the British Council develops relationships with people from a wide range of backgrounds. Engaging positively with the richness of the diversity is central to what we do and inline with our core values.

Our purpose is to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and other countries and to increase appreciation of the UK’s ideas and achievements. We work in 110countries and every year we help to create some form of personal contact with the UK for 16 million people around the world.

Our 129 teaching centres teach over one million classroom hours every year. We also connect people through visits, student exchange programmes, exams, library services and the many arts and cultural events.

Our work has a special focus on youth. Connecting young people across all cultures has never been more important and we seek to create genuine mutual trust and understanding.

We have developed our Integrated Equality Scheme to help us promote equality and eliminate discrimination in the areas of gender, race and disability. Find out how we are applying this scheme worldwide.

Building lasting relationships between the Middle East and the UK            

Our partnership with the Middle East:  We share a long and close relationship with the Middle East, where we have been working for more than 30 years. The Middle East is a region with visionary leadership, a fast-developing economy and is recognised as a model by other regions. With its young population, the Middle East is developing a new generation of citizens who can benefit from contacts with the UK - and vice versa. The UK and the Middle East, and their respective cultures, are changing and we aim to encourage the kind of contact that will maintain our sense of each other’s culture and also enhance mutual understanding and respect.

Through our Middle East centres we help create awareness of the quality of UK education and connect the local community with UK educational opportunities available in the UK and the Middle East.

What we do

In the Middle East our aim is to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and the Middle East and to increase appreciation of the UK’s ideas and achievements. We do this by providing a range of relevant services and by working with a wide range of individuals and groups within the community.

We can help you to study in the UK, take UK exams in your own country or learn English.

We run international programmes for UK school, college and university students and adult learners to take part in a variety of exchange opportunities, as well as providing support, advice and access to scholarships and funding for those coming to study in the UK.

Please visit our website for further information.