Global education access framework
An efficient way to procure managed services that give your students overseas (based off-campus) high quality access to the digital learning content and resources they need.
About the global education access framework
Around 20% of the UK’s student population are international students. While based in their home country and not supported by a local campus as they study, take online exams, assessments and pre-sessional courses, their learning experience when connecting to their UK educational organisation's virtual learning environment (VLE) and online content may be lacking the quality and performance neccessary to give reliable and secure access.
While commercial connectivity solutions are available, it is often difficult and costly for education organisations to procure them for their students to use.
Jisc's unique relationship with the sector has enabled us to work with and learn alongside institutions and suppliers in solving this problem. As a result, the global education access framework has been developed to:
- Simplify the process of identifying suitable connectivity solutions
- Help you compare and assess suppliers solutions
- Make it easier to specify your requirements and contracts with suppliers with confidence.
To develop the framework, we’ve listened to members about what they need, as well as working with sector bodies including ucisa, Universities UK International and the British Council.
Suppliers who have made it onto the framework will have confirmed they can deliver equal to or above the minimum performance standard we believe students need to enjoy a high-quality teaching and learning experience. For example, when accessing VLEs and other content relevant to their courses such as live streams that require high-performance connectivity which traverses (across) borders.
The solutions will be available as managed services. We have completed due diligence and made sure the suppliers’ arrangements around data governance and information security are clearly stated.
How it meets your needs
Organisations may take up the solution for a variety of reasons:
- To ensure teaching material can be delivered in an identical way to the UK so that all students have an equitable experience
- To minimise staff resource in replicating materials
- To maintain the current cohort and attract a new cohort of international students
In establishing the global education access framework, Jisc has shaped the commercial offerings of suppliers and agreed competitive prices with the potential to benefit the whole sector by driving down costs.
This framework facilitates the commercial solutions to meet member needs with clear supplier offerings, including:
- Flexible pricing to meet both the immediate and changing number of students who are learning overseas
- Solutions that are scalable and deploy in an agile way
- Assurances that data governance and GDPR positions of the supplier are clearly communicated
These solutions are aimed at any institution delivering education overseas to access staff and students who are not based on a campus. This may be predominantly of interest to HE institutions, but FE and skills providers and alternative providers may also be interested. The solution can be used for international students who are unable to, or may not want to return to study in the UK in the present circumstances and for transnational students studying online.
While it is able to support research, this solution only for accessing educational, teaching and learning material.
For improving connectivity and access to students, staff and researchers who are based on a campus overseas (for example a branch campus, or partner institution in the delivery of transnational education) and require access to UK resources on the Janet Network, global connect may be the best solution. This focuses on direct connectivity between the UK and overseas campus.
Benefits to your organisation
OJEU compliant
The framework is an Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) compliant route to market. To request copies of the OJEU notices, please email frameworkcontracts@jisc.ac.ukValue for money
We have established the framework based on UK education’s clear common requirementsSave procurement time
We pre-qualify all suppliers on this framework to ensure they can meet your requirements and free up your time in the process - and, depending on the service being purchased, your procurement could be completed in less than three weeksJisc-procured framework
We ensure that you have access to the latest technology and suppliersFast and reliable
Solutions purchased through our framework have all the minimum functionality available with the reassurance of supporting global access to UK education institutions' VLEs either hosted on the Janet Network or in commercial clouds
When using this framework suppliers will respond directly to your enquiries for order or as a response to a mini competition.
Eligibility
Access to the framework is freely available to members of Jisc and/or those providing or supporting education such as:
- All higher and further education institutions
- Individual schools, whether under local government control or with other governance
- Individual or groups of libraries or museums, whether under local government control or with other governance
- Other bodies whose core purpose is the support or advancement of education
Full information on eligibility is available in the buyers guide (pdf).
List of available lots and supplier contact details
These suppliers are capable of supplying managed services under each lot. Please refer to the buyer's guide for how the framework operates and how awards may be made.
| Procurement lot | Suppliers |
|---|---|
| Lot 1 - China A managed service providing secure and high-performance connectivity for education institutions to deploy for their users accessing UK VLEs and other relevant content from China. |
|
| Lot 2 - Global A managed service providing secure and high-performance connectivity for education institutions to deploy for their users accessing UK VLEs and other relevant content from any overseas locations.
|
|
How to get started
If you are interested in taking up the framework or any of our international services, please complete our form with your requirements for an initial consultation or email frameworkcontracts@jisc.ac.uk.
Read the global education access framework buyer's guide (pdf) for more information.