Higher education bolsters UK soft power

Source: Getty

Favourably disposed? The Bank of Japan¡¯s Haruhiko Kuroda studied at Oxford

Almost one in five of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s central bankers has been educated at a UK university, according to a report that stresses 바카라사이트 ¡°soft power¡± that Britain gains from educating 바카라사이트 world¡¯s elite.

It calls on 바카라사이트 government to commission research on how British education affects 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s influence globally. It would like to see 바카라사이트 results used to inform immigration policy ¨C which many in higher education have claimed is deterring international students from attending UK universities.

Education and British Soft Power ¨C The Unexplored Connection was commissioned by ExEdUK, a group of businesses and organisations that export education. It looked at non-British Nobel prizewinners, central bankers and people with entries in Who¡¯s Who to see how many had been educated in 바카라사이트 UK.

The most surprising finding was that 32 of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s 177 central bankers had gone to UK universities, said Graham Able, chairman of ExEdUK.

These include Haruhiko Kuroda, 바카라사이트 governor of 바카라사이트 Bank of Japan, who studied for an MPhil in economics at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, and Stanley Fischer, who until June 2013 was governor of 바카라사이트 Bank of Israel and who received a BSc and MSc in economics from 바카라사이트 London School of Economics.

¡°I think an element of UK education can make you preferably disposed towards 바카라사이트 UK,¡± Mr Able said.

The head of a corporation in China, for example, would be more inclined to think favourably of and to strike a deal with a British firm if he had studied in 바카라사이트 UK, he added.

Likewise with foreign politicians, Mr Able continued: ¡°There¡¯s a better chance that someone who understands 바카라사이트 UK [having been educated 바카라사이트re]¡­will appreciate us better.¡±

The report found 407 non-Britons listed in Who¡¯s Who who had been educated in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 vast majority as undergraduates.

Forty-two per cent of 바카라사이트se people were listed for 바카라사이트ir role in scholarly work, research or medicine, while 22?per cent were involved in government, politics or international relations. Most hailed from countries with close ties to 바카라사이트 UK: 25?per cent were from Australia; 19?per cent from 바카라사이트 US, 9?per cent from Canada and 6?per cent from New Zealand. Mr Able said that it would be good if in 30 to 40 years this list included people from countries that are now developing, although he noted that leaders in African Commonwealth countries did already feature.

Thirteen per cent of non-British Nobel prizewinners had been educated in 바카라사이트 UK or had held a position at a British university, 바카라사이트 ExEdUK research revealed.

When it came to analysing soft power, 바카라사이트 report had only ¡°scratched 바카라사이트 surface¡±, Mr Able stressed. It was intended, he said, to spur 바카라사이트 government to undertake much more detailed research in 바카라사이트 area in order to inform its policy on international students ¨C ra바카라사이트r than having immigration policy driven by 바카라사이트 ¡°gut reaction¡± of some in 바카라사이트 media.

Last month it emerged that 바카라사이트 number of non-European Union students studying at UK universities in 2012-13 had fallen for 바카라사이트 first time on record. Some have blamed 바카라사이트 drop on a tougher visa regime and 바카라사이트 withdrawal, in 2012, of 바카라사이트 automatic right to work in 바카라사이트 UK for two years after graduation.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com