by Liz Hutchinson

During a recent UK trade delegation to Los Angeles, designed to drive growth and transatlantic cooperation, one theme consistently came through from global businesses about why they were interested in London – talent. The same was true of London Tech Week, and it underpins the City of London’s campaign to reinforce the capital as one of the world’s leading destinations for investment.

Exceptional
London’s success as a global city has always depended on its ability to attract, develop and retain exceptional people. Whether in the capital’s key sectors of finance, technology, the creative industries, life sciences or professional services, talent is what powers growth, productivity and innovation and what marks London apart from our competitors.

Yet we do not talk enough about one of the key reasons why London leads for talent: its higher education sector.

World-leading
London is home to more higher education institutions than any other city in the world. More than half a million students study here each year, including over 200,000 international students. Our institutions educate the workforce businesses need, drive world-leading research and innovation, support entrepreneurship and strengthen public services. Together, they make a major contribution to London’s economy and global influence.

This summer, London Higher will launch a new campaign making the case that London is the higher education capital of the world.
It is a claim grounded in evidence. No other city combines the scale, diversity and excellence of London’s higher education offer, with world-leading research universities, specialist institutions, conservatoires, business schools and colleges working alongside one another. London is home to two of the world’s top ten universities and four of the UK’s top ten. It is the best place in the world to study subjects ranging from art and design and architecture to education and veterinary science. Our institutions generate billions in economic activity, contributing 40 per cent more GVA annually to the UK than the UK premier league.

Anchors
We support more than 30 per cent of UK graduate entrepreneurial activity and act as anchors within communities across the capital as well as major employers – with more staff than Sainsbury’s UK operations. Seventeen of England’s top twenty universities for social mobility are based in London, with institutions working alongside schools and colleges to ensure talent can flourish wherever it is found.

As the focus continues on growth both regionally and nationally, London’s higher education sector remains one of the city’s greatest strengths and one of its most compelling advantages on the global stage.

That thinking sits at the heart of London Higher’s new strategy, which sets out our vision for a sector that is locally loved, nationally valued and leading the world.

Communities
Locally loved means highlighting and deepening the role our institutions play in communities across the capital. They create opportunity, support local economies, enrich cultural life and are among the city’s most important engines of social mobility, helping people from every background develop the skills, confidence and networks needed to succeed.

Nationally valued means making the case that a strong higher education sector in London benefits the whole country. London’s institutions support industries across the UK, contribute to national productivity, attract international investment and talent, and generate research and innovation that helps address some of society’s biggest challenges. A stronger London creates opportunities, investment and connections that benefit every nation and region of the UK.

Collaboration
Leading the world means sustaining London’s position as one of the greatest places anywhere to study, research, innovate and build a career. It means continuing to attract global talent, ensuring students have an outstanding experience in the capital and speaking confidently about London’s contribution to
the world.

Success depends on stronger collaboration across higher education, business, government and public services and the need to lean into Team London is greater than ever.
London Higher will bring members together around shared priorities, strengthen partnerships across London and beyond, and tell our collective story with greater confidence.
This is how we will realise our vision of a sector that is locally loved, nationally valued and recognised around the world for what it already is: one of the capital’s defining strengths.

Liz Hutchinson is chief executive of London Higher
www.londonhigher.ac.uk