The UK is closing its gap with the US in the latest Soft-Power Index, compiled by the Higher Education Policy Institute, with the latter retaining top spot with 65 world leaders having studied in the North American country.
The House of Lords European Affairs Committee has called for a UK-EU relations "reset", including a shake up of the current student mobility landscape.
Of the world leaders who were educated overseas, more studied in the US than in any other country, according to the Higher Education Policy Institute’s Soft-Power Index.
US higher education institutions continue to lead the count of the most graduates that are current world leaders, research has shown.
A report detailing which countries have educated the most serving world leaders has revealed that the UK has fallen behind the US for the third consecutive year.
The US is now top of a soft power index based on where current world leaders and monarchs have been educated, although a separate poll has the UK in top spot.
At AIEC, a Taiwanese academic argued that China is politicising international students,and globally mobile students could be a soft power tool.
The latest Soft Power 30 rankings have shown France’s ascent to the leading position knocking the US down to the third slot and reflecting a global preference for outward looking, business-friendly politics. The UK retained its second place position, but not without its global reputation taking a hit after the Brexit vote.
