HIGHER EDUCATION REMAINS A KEY TOOL IN THE UK’S BATTLE FOR SOFT POWER

The UK’s world-leading higher education sector remains a key tool in shaping the views and values of world leaders

Connor Horsfall writes for the South China Morning Post arguing that the UK’s world-leading higher education sector remains a key tool in shaping the views and values of world leaders. We shouldn’t lose sight of how valuable of an asset this is, especially as future leaders of a rising superpower like China are currently deciding where to undertake their studies.

The number of international students studying in the UK has more than doubled in the last two decades and a single cohort contributes £28.8 billion to the UK economy, with each one of us being £390 better off as a direct result of their contribution.

It is not only financially that the UK benefits from international students – there is a huge amount of soft power gained by having them study here too. In 2022, there were 55 world leaders who had been educated in the UK. Only the US had more with 67. Positive experiences and perceptions of the UK, its people and culture, create an emotional bond between alumni and the UK. The trust created is invaluable for both diplomacy and trade.

Given these benefits, it may seem like a no-brainer that we should continue to encourage more international students to study here. Yet rising tensions between London and Beijing has led to intensifying debates over the number of international students studying in the UK, especially those from China.

There are growing concerns surrounding Chinese influence within universities and calls for tougher measures to be taken, including the closure of Confucius Institutes.

What has slightly got lost in the noise is how their removal would significantly reduce access to Mandarin lessons for hundreds of students.

With the UK already significantly lacking in Chinese language capabilities, urgent investment is needed to fill this knowledge gap should the closure of the institutes become a reality. Greater investment is also needed in China literacy more broadly, especially in Chinese history, politics, and law. 

Illustration: Stephen Case