On Wednesday this week we were joined by the British Foreign Policy Group (BFPG) for our Education Working Group event on the topic of Soft Power.
We were delighted to welcome Evie Aspinall, Director, and Eliza Keogh, Researcher and Programmes Manager, to deliver insights into the soft power benefits generated by the UK’s education sector. The British Foreign Policy Group regularly conducts research into UK soft power and co-convenes, along with the British Council, the UK Soft Power Group, the premier group representing non-governmental UK-based soft power assets.
The session delved into the breadth of the UK’s soft power assets, how they can be used to advance a variety of the UK’s international objectives, and touched on some of the key challenges facing soft power actors working across their respective fields. We then explored the direct soft power benefits that the UK’s education sector generates, and how by using soft power framing, the education sector can better position itself as a key foreign policy tool and important partner in the UK’s foreign policy agenda.
During the lively discussion on the UK’s role in the world and its soft power, with many insightful questions from members, the debate centred around the need to continue to evolve. It is clear that the priorities for the education sector in its international work must be ensuring that international partnerships are equal, and that the client is positioned at the core. Delivering international development work should be conducted in a sustainable manner and with better understanding of power dynamics when working with developing countries.
BFPG will continue to advocate for more coordination and communication between soft power actors and the Government, to ensure education providers have a clearer understanding of how they currently do, and can better feed into the UK’s international objectives. If any members are interested in finding out more about the BFPG or the UK Soft Power Group’s work, please contact eliza.keogh@bfpg.co.uk.
We look forward to working with our members to continue to examine how the UK can best position its soft power offering in the Education sector, and are encouraged by the interest in today’s fantastic event.
Eliza Keogh, Researcher and Programmes Manager, British Foreign Policy Group
Amalie Coleman, Programme Executive, British Expertise International
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