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

Case study: I65 
Now an articulate and confident young lawyer, Dominican Republic alumna I65 had 
worked as a paralegal in a local firm after her law degree, but won a Chevening 
Scholarship to study an LLM in International Law at King’s, London. Studying in London 
was an obvious choice for this subject area. She reports having made the most of 
London life and also travelled extensively in the UK, making many friends at King’s and 
with other Chevening scholars. She is now incredibly positive about the whole 
experience and has since supported three Dominican Republic friends to apply for 
similar scholarships. 
I65 returned to her law firm and was quickly promoted to senior attorney. She reports a 
different focus now in her work, and much higher confidence and credibility when dealing 
with her investment bank clients. Her company recognises this and makes the most of 
her international experience when developing business – she recently hosted UK Stock 
Exchange visitors. I65 also seeks out potential UK clients wishing to invest in her 
country, wishing to advise but also to protect them. She feels something of an emotional 
bond with them due to her UK experience, and has high levels of trust in people from the 
UK. 
Personally I65 feels that she has (even) greater confidence and that HE in the UK has 
helped her learn to think, rather than just gain technical knowledge. Overcoming the 
challenges of going to the UK and setting up a life alone there have also resulted in 
greater independence. Although the experience has not changed her friendships greatly 
at home (where there are few UK HE alumni), she is very active in social networks and 
contacts with friends from King’s who are in the UK as well as with Chevening alumni 
worldwide. I65 feels she is now more open-minded and can readily mix/work with 
nationalities she’d never have met otherwise – such as from India. She has already been 
back to the UK to visit those friends. 
In the Dominican Republic she can now see where development needs to take place, as 
she feels she has seen how things can work and can be very civilised (in the UK). She 
wishes to foster similar attitudes in her country, partly by behaving that way herself and 
by influencing others. Practically she helps the British Embassy and supports their 
promotion of the Chevening scheme as well as incoming UK trade visits and delegations. 
I65 feels that a part of her has “
stayed in London
”, and she wants to do all she can to 
help the UK, as well as hoping that more in her country could also benefit from what she 
learned from us.
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The Wider Benefits of International Higher Education in the UK