Bis research paper number 128 The wider benefits of international higher education in the uk

4.2.7 Benefit type B2: Promoting trust 
Positive perceptions held by international alumni of the values of the UK as a society and 
culture can assist in building up trust in the UK, leading to perceptions of it as a desirable 
partner in potential trade, diplomatic or developmental relationships. 
The underlying basis for this benefit relates closely to the issues of mutual understanding 
and soft power, introduced already, but in this context there is more overt recognition of its 
potential in terms of national economic benefit, in addition to wider political or other 
impacts. 
4.2.7.1 Research 
evidence 
When asked during the interviews to summarise in two or three simple words what they 
thought characterised the UK, alumni tended to offer words like (or meaning) ‘open’, 
‘tolerant’, ‘fair’, ‘mature’ (as in historic), ‘considerate’ and ‘civilised’, as well as ‘organised’, 
‘international’ and ‘welcoming’ (and to a lesser extent what could be summarised as 
‘idiosyncratic’). There was also a consistent perception of an underlying entrepreneurial or 
‘can do’ attitude within the country. Many alumni were clearly envious when they 
compared this with how they characterised at least some aspects of their own country. 
Several reflected positively on the way of life in the UK and wished to do what they could 
to emulate it and foster it in their home country: 

Graduate I65 from the Dominican Republic reported that her time in the UK enabled 
her to realise that it is possible for things to be organised rather than chaotic: 
“When 
you go to the UK and live in a country that’s so civilised and, for example, the culture of 
queuing. You have no idea how big an impact that is for me. In Dominican Republic, 
you can’t get a Dominican to make a queue for their life. They skip queues and when 
you’re on the escalator, everyone stands everywhere, it’s terrible. Those little things 
actually make a difference. It’s a cultural thing, it’s an educational thing and when you 
see that it can actually happen, that people actually do it, then you think, “Oh, my God!
There is hope as well here.” And just…seeing it, living it and you start doing it. You 
start telling your friends to do it and little by little you feel confident that things can 
change, you can change them for better, taking the example of other nations such as 
the UK”. 
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The Wider Benefits of International Higher Education in the UK 

I21 from South Africa too felt she had gained a valuable insight into how life “could be”, 
which she would now try to embody at home and instill in others. She now realised that 
you do not need a flashy car and to demonstrate your wealth to be happy, but that it is 
possible to be happy by being content and confident in yourself: 
“I have seen how 
people in a first world country live, people with money and people without money as 
well. In South Africa there’s a huge divide between the rich and the poor, it’s evident in 
where people live and what they drive, and the types of houses they live in. You could 
just go back and earn your good salary, as you’ve got status and you’re in a good job, 
so you could just join the other side of the divide. But [in the UK] you could be on a 
train with someone who works in the city and someone who’s just a labourer. There’s 
no divide. In the UK, you can’t tell because people just love the way they live.” 

Alumnus I11 went back to more senior roles at the central bank in Nicaragua, after a 
development finance Masters at Manchester, to which he attributes his recognition of 
the potential for growth, both personally but also within his developing country. He was 
recently financial controller for a $400 m US-funded power investment project. His 
father had also studied abroad: 
“My dad’s influence played a very important role you 
know: “Don’t settle for the mediocrity that you see around yourself.” When I landed in 
UK, it was like, “Oh, wow! This is how other people work and live” and so eye-opening 
in the sense that there is much more to go out and develop yourself, to reach higher. 
It’s changed me, you can always strive to think bigger and to do bigger things and 
know that is definitely achievable.”
An Indonesian graduate, I84, whose family had no experience of living or studying abroad, 
said that she could not think of anything bad about the UK and that is was “
100% good
.” 
More importantly, her perceptions on the British perspective of her own part of the world 
had changed for the better “
They don’t hate Asian people or discriminate against them
”. 
The proportion of alumni interviewed who felt that their perceptions of the UK had changed 
as a result of studying here was high (around 90%, as reported in Chapter 5). From the 
interviews, these shifts in perception appeared to be entirely positive.