British universities have released plans for how the United Kingdom Higher Education can retain and increase their global influence and impact beyond Covid-19.

The universities intend to build their capacity to attract talent and investment from around the world.

The manifesto — UK, Recovery, Skills and Knowledge and Opportunity - A Vision for Universities — was published on October 21.

It stated that the UK will only achieve its aims in science, research, and the arts if it adopts policies that make it easier for students, teachers, and researchers to study, work and live in Britain.

The University representative body said that it looks forward to growing education exports and attract, nurture, and retain global talent if it embraces attractive policies for international talent.

The new proposals include:

* Establishment of a one-stop-shop through the Office for Talent to provide immigration and resettlement advice to prospective applicants to the UK.

* Reducing visa costs.

* Enhancing the scale and impact of international research collaboration, mobility, and partnerships.

* Enhancement of efforts to promote the UK higher education offered by increasing investment in Study UK to £20 million a year.

The manifesto also stressed on the formation of a new global prestige research fund to attract and retain global talent to pursue new, blue-sky research ideas in the UK.

Commenting on the new proposal, Study Group’s Managing Director for the UK and EU James Pitman said that UK universities are absolutely right to emphasise the opportunity for British Higher Education in order to make the country world’s first choice for University study.

He said in an official statement: “For decades we have had an outstanding reputation for academic quality and the welcome Indian students receive in our universities and wider society. If we match that with globally-leading service from application through all aspects of international education policy through study and beyond, there is nothing to stop the UK becoming the world leader in higher education for Indian students.”

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