The council’s 26 members span experts in culture, sport, the arts and geopolitics, including representatives from the UK’s international higher education sector.
Upon her appointment to the Council, UUKi director Vivienne Stern said she wanted government to acknowledge higher education as “one of the UK’s greatest assets” and recognise the role of universities in driving growth and facilitating partnerships around the world.
“Universities struggling financially is a reputational risk for the UK as a whole,” warned Stern, urging the government to support universities and enable them to “provide maximum positive impact for the UK”, as laid out in UUKi’s Blueprint for change.
The council’s formation was announced shortly after the launch of a new inquiry examining what tangible benefits soft power brings to the UK, and what the UK’s soft power “USP” is in relation to its allies and adversaries around the world.
“While soft power is one of the UK’s greatest strengths, we can’t afford to be complacent,” said Dame Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
“Countries such as China, Russia and India are building up their soft power offer in the form of diplomatic, educational and cultural exchanges and have shown they will fill any gaps left by the UK and other like-minded countries moving on.
“While the UK has successfully made the case for democratic values in the past, new, competing narratives seek to undermine this,” Thornberry added.
The soft power inquiry will be open-ended and is inviting initial feedback on the government’s strategy, including how the UK is perceived abroad and the value for money and soft power returns of FCDO arms-length bodies such as the British Council.
Following his appointment to the Soft Power Council, British Council CEO Scott McDonald warned that his organisation could “disappear” within the next decade as it faces £200 million in spiralling government debt accruing £14m interest each year.
It is understood that McDonald offered the British Council’s collection of art valued at £200m to the government in exchange for writing off its debt, though the offer was not accepted.
Stakeholders at home and abroad have spoken out in defence of the British Council since the news of its financial struggles.
For Stern, the organisation plays a “vital” role in supporting the UK’s soft power, hugely benefitting universities by expanding the impact of their global activities, as well as promoting the teaching of English overseas.
“The British Council’s global network of offices and in-country staff facilitate connections to local universities, students, policy makers, and industry,” said Stern.
This comes as the culture secretary announced a £60m funding boost for cultural organisations and creative businesses across the UK, with video game development understood to be an area of particular interest to the government.
“Universities will have a key role to play in maximising the impact of this funding,” said Stern, given their close links with the sectors and their ability to facilitate research partnerships and “provide the pipeline of talent that fuels innovation”.
The UK’s reputation for excellent higher education opportunities is a key part of its soft power proposition
Vivienne Stern, Universities UK International
Given the centrality of higher education to the UK’s soft power, international student demand is another indicator of soft power performance, according to Stern.
In 2022/23 there were 1.3m international students enrolled in UK institutions, including those at UK branch campuses.
To sustain these levels, the UK must maintain a fair and attractive immigration system, including the Graduate Route, and ensure that students have a positive experience, emerging as future leaders and advocates for the UK, said Stern.
UUKi said it would be responding to the government’s inquiry making to case for universities’ varied contributions to soft power through learning and teaching, research and engagement in the UK around the world.
Acting as an advisory body to the UK government, the Council will champion a new “hard-nosed” approach to soft power, according to FCDO. It is chaired by foreign secretary David Lammy and culture secretary Lisa Nandy.
Upon its creation, Lammy said he was “often struck by the enormous love and respect which our music, sport, educations and institutions generate on every continent.
“But we have not taken a sufficiently strategic approach to these huge assets as a country,” he continued. “Harnessing soft power effectively can help to build relationships, deepen trust, enhance our security and drive economic growth.”
