The British Council is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, a public corporation, and a registered charity in England, Wales, and Scotland. It is operationally independent from the UK government. It aims '[to] advance, for the public benefit, any purpose which is exclusively charitable and which shall (a) promote cultural relationships between the people of the United Kingdom and other countries; (b) develop a wider knowledge of the English language; and (c) encourage educational co-operation between the United Kingdom and other countries, support the advancement of United Kingdom education and education standards overseas, and otherwise promote education.' (Royal Charter)
