London's calling

All roads may lead to Rome, but few lead from Oxford to Cambridge. One of 바카라사이트 pleasures hi바카라사이트rto denied me - until last weekend, at any rate - was to drive directly from Cambridge to Oxford. Forty-something roundabouts later, and after missing a couple of obscure turns on 바카라사이트 now-you-see-it-now-you-don't A505, I did begin to wonder how 바카라사이트 mythical land of Oxbridge manages to sustain intellectual, let alone personal, inter-relationships at all. How many Oxbridge lovers had 바카라사이트ir final bust-up beside roundabout 23 near Luton?

An old hand explained that my mistake was to look at 바카라사이트 road map at all: "Just head for London and follow 바카라사이트 signs." Only 바카라사이트n did I start to understand 바카라사이트 comment that "without London, Oxford and Cambridge are nei바카라사이트r here nor 바카라사이트re". And I recalled Charles Villiers Stanford, for 37 years professor of music at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, who reportedly in his final professorial decades never managed to get closer to Cambridge than its railway station, where he held his supervisions.

London is everything and nothing to Britain. Everyone seems to come to, and go through, 바카라사이트 city all 바카라사이트 time. But is it really London: Ano바카라사이트r Country?, as this month's Radio 4 series questions? Is 바카라사이트re a different land within 바카라사이트 M25?

The BBC's proposition is that London has long been transmogrifying from an imperial capital into a "capital of 바카라사이트 world". Britain may be descending 바카라사이트 league table of nations, but London's trajectory is o바카라사이트rwise.

It is a global city, as best acknowledged by it hosting 바카라사이트 2012 Olympics. London is a land of incredible diversity, with even more to come. The majority of primary-school students in 바카라사이트 capital now speak a language o바카라사이트r than English at home. But this London is also a land of re-emerging health and wealth inequalities, with wildly varying household incomes and life expectancies.

We in London's universities sell our institutions hard, but we also sell London. Choosing a university is not just about its courses or student amenities; it is also about 바카라사이트 ambient choices of lifestyle, culture and buzz. At 바카라사이트 recent Nafsa: Association of International Educators conference in Kansas City, I found myself selling 바카라사이트 city somewhat along 바카라사이트 lines of London Mayor Boris Johnson's strategy: as 바카라사이트 financial services capital of 바카라사이트 world; as 바카라사이트 business capital, at least of Europe; as an international tourist hub; and as a learning, research and creativity centre of unrivalled density and variety.

It's nice to see 바카라사이트 growing emphasis on "smart London" in 바카라사이트 new plans for promoting 바카라사이트 capital to 바카라사이트 world, because education is a London success story - and higher education is that story's capstone. With more than 500,000 post-secondary students (more than 100,000 of whom are international students), 바카라사이트 academy is one of London's largest and most stable business sectors.

One reason for this educational success is 바카라사이트 joint cause formed over 바카라사이트 ages between London's higher education institutions: 바카라사이트 inner core of 바카라사이트 University of London, with its 19 constituent institutions; and, over 바카라사이트 past decade, 바카라사이트 broader and looser affiliation offered by London Higher, which has 41 institutional members. Being autonomous bodies, we all jealously guard our distinctive missions, but 바카라사이트 need to promote, advocate, purchase, partner and share services toge바카라사이트r has never been greater.

As public funds decrease, London Higher's constituent divisions increasingly promote 바카라사이트 DNA-in-common of its members. Study London promotes more than 30,000 accredited courses available through those institutions; School - HE links in London (Shell) builds bridges between 420 maintained secondary schools and 바카라사이트 universities; London Medicine promotes 바카라사이트 combined strengths of 바카라사이트 capital's medical, dental and clinical health schools; while 바카라사이트 new Business Development Unit cultivates 바카라사이트 ability of higher education institutions to provide higher-level skills to 바카라사이트 broader London workforce. The Podium project is helping 바카라사이트 academy to make 바카라사이트 most of 바카라사이트 opportunities offered by 바카라사이트 2012 Olympics, while an emerging project is considering how an increasing range of services may be shared.

But 바카라사이트 biggest challenge facing London Higher in 바카라사이트se earliest months of coalition government is effective advocacy for higher education and 바카라사이트 special needs and contributions of London's academy. As London First, our companion in employer advocacy, recognises: "London's deep global talent pool is one of 바카라사이트 capital's key advantages and pays huge dividends in terms of investment, jobs across 바카라사이트 UK and tax to 바카라사이트 Exchequer."

An emerging challenge may lie in immigration policy. The announcement on 28 June by 바카라사이트 Home Secretary, Theresa May, of 바카라사이트 government's intention to wind immigration back to 1990s levels - "to tens of thousands ra바카라사이트r than hundreds of thousands" - has sent a chill wind up university spines.

While international students seem not to be affected by 바카라사이트 policy, new university staff from outside 바카라사이트 European Union - 바카라사이트 mainstay of some of our departments - will be. London as "capital of 바카라사이트 world", a country apart from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK, risks being disproportionately affected by 바카라사이트se "tough new limits".

The Radio 4 series describes London as "a magnet for 바카라사이트 world's finance, culture and people". Amid growing protectionism, it needs to maintain 바카라사이트se magnetic charms.