UK insularity may push it behind India, China: research

Updated on: Saturday, December 10, 2011

Unless Britain encourages its students to think more globally, they will not be able to meet demands of global business and will fall behind India, China and Brazil, according to a research commissioned by the British Council.

Three out of four business leaders fear that UK will be left behind by emerging countries unless young people learn to think more globally, said an ICM business poll released.

The research, commissioned by the British Council and Think Global, found that while almost two-thirds felt they had an 'international outlook', students failed to see the potential career advantages to be gained from international experiences, rating the aspects that might help their future employment prospects behind other benefits like making new friends, culture or altruism.

Three-quarters (74 per cent) of the 500 business leaders polled expressed concern that young people's horizons are not broad enough to operate in a globalised and multicultural economy.

Employers agreed that unless "we better support schools to teach young people to think more globally, UK is in danger of being left behind by emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil".

Only 18 percent of young people said they had done, or definitely planned to work, study or volunteer abroad, despite almost nine out of 10 saying that such experiences were a great opportunity.

Dr Jo Beall, British Council director of Education and Society, said, "This research shows that while British students are extremely keen to gain international experiences, there aren't enough of the right opportunities for them to gain the professional skills that British employers really value."

There are great examples of good practice from UK universities where young people can gain professional skills overseas, she said.

"We would like to work with British business and education sectors to expand these opportunities and develop more. Otherwise the UK economy risks losing global competitiveness".

Roger Clarke, Chair of Think Global, said, "UK businesses urgently need people with an understanding of the wider world.

"Yet even those students lucky enough to go university still have a large gap in their awareness. It is crucial that we help children to start thinking globally during their school years."

UK insularity may push it behind India, China: research

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