The United Kingdom has further slipped behind the United States in a ranking of countries that educate the most current world leaders who studied abroad. According to the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi), 70 serving presidents, prime ministers, and monarchs received higher education in the US, compared to 58 in the UK. This gap represents the largest difference since Hepi first introduced the “soft-power index” in 2017.
Nick Hillman, director of Hepi, expressed concerns that the UK’s position could deteriorate even more in the future due to the impact of previous immigration policies on international students. He highlighted that the UK was at the top of the rankings in 2017 but was surpassed by the US in the following year and has not regained the lead since. The US saw a notable increase in the number of world leaders educated there over the past year, while the figure for the UK remained unchanged.
The study, covering 195 countries and their senior leaders, revealed that France continues to hold onto the third spot in the index despite having fewer world leaders educated abroad compared to the previous year. The think tank views the number of world leaders educated outside their home country as an indicator of each country’s “soft power.”
Hillman emphasised the importance of international students in bringing various benefits to the UK and expressed regret at the country’s declining position. He called for a review of current policies, especially in light of the UK’s competitiveness with the US in attracting talented individuals for higher education.
Universities UK (UUK) commented on the situation, highlighting the vital role UK universities play in promoting British values globally and stressing the need for sustainable funding to maintain this influence.
A Government spokesperson underlined the commitment to supporting universities as hubs of growth and opportunity, attracting students globally while balancing migration levels. The UK aims to continue providing high-quality education through its world-class universities and values the enrichment international students bring to campus life.
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