Latin America & the Caribbean

Education

The Latin America & Caribbean education and training market has developed extensively in recent years. Public sector education reforms across the region have resulted in improved provision for a wider range of the population.

Private sector demand for better quality education and training solutions has resulted in opportunities in Higher Education; Teacher Training; high quality English language teaching (ELT); Technical & Vocational education (TVET) and education technology.

The current pandemic brought challenges for Education systems across the region and new opportunities arising in EdTech, distance learning and capacity building/TVET.  Latin America & the Caribbean is, without doubt, an exciting region with huge potential for UK companies in the education sector.

The rapidly growing Pacific Alliance trade bloc (Colombia, Mexico, Chile & Peru) means that any one of these countries has the potential to act as a springboard for UK exporters, particularly given that a key aim of the alliance is the harmonisation of standards and certification across a number of industries.

Market Detail

Education is high on the agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean and offers huge opportunities for UK suppliers in the sector. Brazil and Mexico have recently seen significant education reforms and national projects, which present particularly good opportunities for UK companies. The growing industry in the English Speaking Caribbean is also raising new TVET opportunities.

The UK’s main competitors in Latin America are the US (lower cost), Spain (language and legal system links), Germany and Italy.

DIT works to identify strategic opportunities in overseas markets, working with UK representative bodies – eg. English UK, the Association of Colleges, Universities UK, the Russell Group, British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) and Training Gateway to recruit suppliers matched to local needs.

DIT also works with key local influencers in overseas regions such as the National Council of Education in Brazil and the Chihuahua State’s Secretary for Education in Mexico. As well as with local companies or buyers with the aim of raising awareness of the UK Education offer across the region.

During the Covid-19 outbreak, our team worked closely with several Ministries of Education and local buyers to identify new opportunities emerging and position UK companies as the provider of choice.

Opportunities for UK companies:

DIT’s Education Team have identified opportunities with high potential in a range of education subsectors, including tackling new opportunities emerging from Covid-19. Key opportunities fall within the following subsectors:

• English Language Proficiency (including through the upcoming approval of the Bilingual Education regulation in Brazil and review of Panama Bilingue)
• Vocational and Technical Training (eg. auto, aerospace, oil & gas and teacher training in Mexico and the English Speaking Caribbean)

• Higher Education and Trans National Education

• Education Technology (eg. STEM, LMS, distance learning).

For more advice and support on how to grow your business overseas, please visit: www.great.gov.uk