Professional and business tours · United Kingdom
See Britain at work and meet the people behind it.
Study visits and business missions to the United Kingdom for delegations from Europe, North America and other markets. Together with our partners we design the programme, arrange the meetings and accompany the group from arrival to follow-up.
Two formats
Two ways to learn from Britain.
Choose one or combine both in a single programme.
- Professional study visits. For delegations of public bodies, municipalities, non-profits, foundations and educational institutions. Meetings with UK counterparts and visits on site, on topics such as funding and grant management, local government and devolution, civil society and public–private partnership.
- Business missions. For companies and start-ups exploring the UK market. Business meetings, search for partners and investors, introductions to UK companies and networks, and orientation on funding routes such as Innovate UK and UK Export Finance.
Typical topics
Six themes to build a visit around.
We shape the programme around your group’s goals. These are the themes we start from.
- Funding and grant management. How UK trusts, foundations, funders and public programmes work: Charity Commission and Fundraising Regulator standards, due diligence and reporting.
- Local government and devolution. How councils, combined authorities and central government share tasks and finance local services.
- Skills and apprenticeships. How colleges, employers and government train skilled workers together through apprenticeships.
- Civil society and volunteering. How charities, community groups and volunteers carry public tasks.
- Public–private partnership and reconstruction. How public bodies and companies plan, finance and deliver infrastructure and local development.
- Innovation and business funding. Routes such as Innovate UK and UK Export Finance, and how UK companies and start-ups use them.
Sample programmes
Two indicative programmes.
Every programme is adapted to the group. Hosts and dates are confirmed for each group.
Professional study visit: funding and local government · 4 days
- 01
LondonDay 1
Arrival and welcome briefing. Overview of the UK system: central government, devolved nations and local authorities. Shared dinner.
- 02
LondonDay 2
The national level: meetings with government departments and programmes. Public finances and the role of Parliament.
- 03
A council or combined authorityDay 3
A local authority: how tasks are shared and local services financed. Visit to a further-education college or apprenticeship provider.
- 04
LondonDay 4
Standards and foundations: meeting with a UK trust, foundation or umbrella body, grant management and reporting. Closing workshop and follow-up plan. Departure.
Business mission: entering the UK market · 3 days
- 01
LondonDay 1
Market briefing: legal and tax basics, business customs. B2B meetings with UK companies.
- 02
London or CambridgeDay 2
Innovation: a technology park or start-up centre, a chamber or business association, orientation on Innovate UK.
- 03
LondonDay 3
Funding routes: UK Export Finance, banks and investors, a company visit. Summary and contacts. Departure.
What is included
We take care of the whole visit.
- Programme design. An agenda built around your goals and your group.
- Meetings arranged. Appointments with UK institutions, foundations, public bodies and companies, through our network and partners.
- Logistics with our partners. Accommodation, transport and interpreting, organised together with our partners.
- Accompaniment on site. We accompany the group and look after the programme in the UK.
- Follow-up. A written summary, the contacts made and, where relevant, the next funding steps.
Who pays
Who usually pays for a visit.
A visit does not have to come from your own budget. Depending on the group, it is funded from one of three sources.
- Programme and donor budgets. Study visits can be a budget line in projects funded by the EU, UK and other agencies, development banks and other donors. We help you shape the visit so that it fits the funder’s rules.
- Ministries and public agencies. Government bodies fund study tours for their staff and partners from their own budgets.
- Companies, foundations and philanthropy. Corporate, CSR and philanthropic budgets for business missions and learning visits.
How it works
Four steps, from the first call to the follow-up.
Each programme is designed and priced for the group. You receive a written quote within two working days of the first call.
- 01
Brief30 minutes, free
You tell us who travels, what you want to learn or achieve, and when.
- 02
Programmefor your approval
We draft the agenda and the list of meetings, and adjust them with you.
- 03
Visiton site in the UK
We and our partners run the programme and the logistics.
- 04
Follow-upafter the visit
A written summary, contacts and next steps, with funding options where they apply.
We work in line with UK sanctions law and compliance rules.