The ‘Leaders of the Future Programme’ will be open to students studying at the 18 universities that make up the London Universities International Partnership.

“The programme will enable the most promising students to receive masterclasses on leadership skills”

Following a rigorous selection process, participating students will undertake a number of two day work shadowing or mentoring placements with senior and influential business leaders.

Participating companies include Lebara Group, McCann Health, MedCity and UK Power Networks.

“The programme will help identify the next generation of men and women who will not only act as ambassadors for the city but will be coming back to London to build the global companies of tomorrow,” Johnson commented.

He added: “Now the ‘Leaders of the Future Programme’ will enable the most promising students to receive masterclasses on leadership skills from influential business people and leading academics.”

In his address to higher education leaders and influential alumni, the Mayor stressed the importance of international students and graduates to the growth of London’s economy.

“It is absolutely vital that we continue to welcome to London and we continue to provide sensible visas for international students”

He also appeared to make a pointed statement about student visa policy in the UK, saying that is is “absolutely vital – and I hope I have your support in this – that we continue to welcome to London and we continue to provide sensible visas” for international students.

The VIP showcase aimed to show the best of what London higher education has to offer and spread the message that the capital is open for collaboration.

Organised by LUIP and London & Partners, the body tasked with marketing the capital internationally, the glitzy ‘London: Connecting you with the World’ event at the Museum of the City of New York included screenings of 18 films showcasing each of LUIP’s member universities.

Some 300 guests were also treated to a contemporary dance choreographed by two Fulbright Scholars and University of Roehampton alumni from the US, Kyle Bukhari and Ryan Rockmore, and Gemma Donohue, a dance teacher at Roehampton.

The music for the event was composed by a student at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

The showcase followed a roundtable discussion of some 30 university leaders and sector stakeholders from New York and London about how the two cities could collaborate in the field of education.

Emmanuel Kattan, Director of the British Council in New York, said the discussion revealed a “very rich desire” for collaboration.

Based on the discussion, LUIP will “gather ideas and identify potential next steps” to open up collaboration between institutions in the two capitals, he said.

One theme that came out of the discussion was that there may be no one mechanism for collaboration between New York and London, but that a project-based approach may be most effective – for example, by beginning with a joint project in a particular area of research.