Ecctis is pleased to welcome education advocate Nicola de Iongh to its Board.

Nicola has been appointed as a statutory director of GRS (Holdings) Limited and Ecctis Limited, following a competitive recruitment process.

She is an experienced non-executive director and governance specialist, with significant leadership roles across higher education, healthcare and social housing.

Her current roles include Chair of Council at the University of Gloucestershire, Vice Chair and Senior Independent Director at Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust, Senior Independent Director at Connexus Housing and Chair of the Committee of University Chairs, the representative body for UK university chairs.

Nicola also serves on the Lord Chancellor’s South West Advisory Committee for magistrate selection and is a Member of Court and Assistant Warden for the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire.

Previously, Nicola worked in the financial services sector as a global transformation lead. She also spent several years as a freelance management consultant, focusing on strategic and complex change across a range of sectors in the UK and Europe.

She brings strong governance expertise, strategic oversight and a clear focus on social impact, aligning with Ecctis’ purpose and values.

Nicola is passionate about the relationship between education, health and housing, and their role in driving change at an individual and community level.

Nicola de Iongh said: “I am delighted to be joining the Board of Ecctis, whose work sits at the heart of education, opportunity and international cooperation. At a time when skills, qualifications and mobility matter more than ever, Ecctis has a vital role in building trust across national boundaries. I very much look forward to meeting colleagues and playing my part in supporting this important mission.”

Susanna Whalley, Chair of the Board of GRS (Holdings) Limited and Ecctis Limited, added: “On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to welcome Nicola to Ecctis.

“She is an education advocate with a deep understanding of the role that trusted expertise plays in supporting individuals, institutions and governments around the world.

“Nicola’s experience in delivering strong governance, strategic oversight and social impact aligns closely with our organisation’s purpose and values.

“The Board looks forward to working closely with Nicola as we continue to build on Ecctis’ reputation for excellence, integrity and international collaboration.”

A practical guide for UK universities and higher education institutions on establishing and gaining accreditation for transnational education programmes and partnerships in Malaysia.

As transnational education grows in importance within the UK Government’s Trade and International Education Strategies, demand for clearer pathways to recognition of UK awards is increasing. Malaysia is one of the UK’s most established TNE markets and has become a significant hub for both transnational education and international students.

For qualifications offered through TNE to be recognised in Malaysia and support graduate employability, particularly in the public sector, programmes must meet local regulatory requirements. Drawing on feedback from UK universities and supported by the Department for Business and Trade, Ecctis carried out a scoping exercise to explore the recognition process, barriers and opportunities in more detail.

This included in-country visits and engagement with stakeholders in both the UK and Malaysia, contributing to a joint action plan with the Department for Business and Trade and the Malaysian Qualifications Agency on the recognition of UK TNE qualifications. As part of this wider project, Ecctis has produced a guide to support UK higher education institutions considering or developing TNE arrangements in Malaysia.

Credit conversion can be particularly complex in transnational education. To support institutions, Ecctis has also produced a credit conversion calculator and supporting guidance to help estimate how UK Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes may compare to MQF credits.

This tool is intended as guidance and should be used alongside the wider report and any relevant institutional or regulatory requirements.

Ecctis will continue to deliver UK ENIC and adjacent services for at least the next five years, after a competitive tendering process.

The Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) has been managing UK ENIC, formerly UK NARIC, on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE) for more than two decades, providing the international reference point for qualifications and skills standards.

The new contract with DfE, which started at the end of March 2025, includes the provision of qualification recognition services for UK ENIC, Early Years Service and the Teacher Regulation Service.

Ecctis is also continuing to deliver qualification equivalency and English proficiency assessment services for the Home Office, as part of a new contract which started on 01 May 2025.

New-look websites and user portals have also launched to enhance the experience for customers.

Further updates will be shared through the newsletter, social media channels and email in due course. However, it remains business as usual, and members can expect the same high quality customer service throughout.

Catherine Winter, CEO at Ecctis, said: ‘We are delighted to have been awarded the contract to deliver UK ENIC and adjacent services, alongside qualification equivalency and English proficiency assessment services for the Home Office, for another five years.

‘We have supported countless individuals, universities, colleges, professional bodies and governments across the world as part of our global role – and we are looking forward to continuing to do so for the foreseeable future.’