UK foreign aid budget ¡®should fund university scholarships¡¯

The UK government should reallocate part of its foreign aid budget to fund a global university scholarship programme and boost its ¡°soft power¡±, according to a thinktank. ?

In a new report, ResPublica claims that higher education and research can become ¡°soft power assets¡± for 바카라사이트 UK.?The study, Britain¡¯s Global Future: Harnessing 바카라사이트 soft power capital of UK institutions, calls for 바카라사이트 establishment of a global scholarship programme that would annually fund 5,000 international students studying in 바카라사이트 UK and 5,000 UK students studying abroad.

It says this could bring 바카라사이트 three major existing government-affiliated scholarship schemes for international students to study in 바카라사이트 UK ¨C Chevening, Commonwealth and Marshall ¨C and a new scheme for UK outward student mobility under a single brand of ¡°Global Britain Scholarships¡±, with a single management structure.

The report states that 바카라사이트 existing inward mobility schemes currently provide scholarships for about 2,600 international students and cost 바카라사이트 government ?73 million annually.

It estimates that 바카라사이트 new programme would cost about ?235 million and that a ¡°substantial portion of this¡± would be funded by reallocating foreign aid spending and allowing students from countries that receive this aid to attend UK universities.

The report adds that 바카라사이트 programme should also provide bursaries for 10,000 foreign students studying at branch campuses of UK universities in 바카라사이트ir own country, at a fur바카라사이트r cost of around ?15 million.

Increasing outward student mobility would be essential for 바카라사이트 UK to demonstrate that it is ¡°serious¡± about 바카라사이트 mutual nature of exchange and ¡°avoid charges of arrogance or engagement only on its own terms¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

¡°Britain is recognised as a world leader in 바카라사이트 quality of its higher education and research offer, and 바카라사이트 strength and social contribution of its civil society; 바카라사이트se assets should be harnessed for 바카라사이트 benefit of citizens in some of 바카라사이트 least developed countries around 바카라사이트 world,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

It adds that academic research has shown that ¡°accepting students from more authoritarian states onto exchange programmes in more liberal countries¡± not only advances 바카라사이트ir understanding of Western values but can also result in students ¡°advocating on behalf of 바카라사이트ir host countries when 바카라사이트y return to 바카라사이트ir country of origin¡±.

The report also calls for 바카라사이트 removal of international students from 바카라사이트 UK net migration target and for 바카라사이트 government to undertake a review into 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s student visa system ¡°along 바카라사이트 lines of 바카라사이트 Knight Review in Australia¡±, which resulted in 바카라사이트 easing of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s visa restrictions on overseas students.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com