With concerns mounting that Britain’s new immigration rules could deter international students from enrolling, universities across the capital have banded together for a united push to promote London as a diverse, welcoming destination for higher education.
The campaign, called “Study London,” kicked off this week with a series of videos and website posts showcasing the vibrant student life awaiting those who choose to pursue their degrees in one of the city’s world-class institutions.
It is the higher education sector’s most forceful counterattack yet to recent visa changes by the government that critics say have jeopardised Britain’s reputation as a destination for the brightest international minds.
“Fears that the U.K. is no longer an attractive place to study have significantly dented trust in our universities,” said Diana Beech, the chief executive of London Higher, the umbrella group representing 50 universities in the London area.
“The ‘Study London’ campaign aims to emphatically restate that our capital remains a safe, supportive and intellectually fertile environment for students from around the globe.”
The campaign launch comes just weeks after the government’s own Migration Advisory Committee concluded that a new graduate visa route introduced in 2021 had been successful in luring students back and offsetting pandemic-related drops in international enrolment.
Still, university leaders say more must be done to reverse years of damage from more restrictive policies on student visas.
At the heart of “Study London” are first-hand testimonials from the racially and culturally diverse students who have flocked to the city from every corner of the world.
In slickly produced videos, they rave about the multicultural vibe, academic opportunities, and career networks that a London education can provide.
“When I close my eyes and think of my time here, it's the diversity that will always stand out,” says one student from Hong Kong, her face awash in the multi-coloured lights of Piccadilly Circus. “London celebrates all backgrounds.”
With students from India making up nearly half of all those on student visas, according to British government statistics, the campaign’s website features In-depth guides highlighting the city’s “Indian diaspora footprint.”
While keen to emphasise London’s unmatched cosmopolitan flair, university leaders are also touting its academic bona fides as one of the world’s undisputed higher education capitals.
Five schools — Imperial College London, University College London, King's College London, the London School of Economics, and Queen Mary University — ranked among the global top 20 in the latest assessment by higher education data analysts.
“London’s universities are absolutely essential to maintaining Britain's standing as a magnet for the world's top students, scholars and entrepreneurs,” said Ms. Beech. “When London’s universities succeed, the entire nation succeeds.”
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