Mayor urges thousands more Chinese students to study in London

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson today urged Chinese students to reap the benefits of the lucrative global market by joining more than 100,000 international students already pursuing their education at one of London’s top Universities.

The Mayor made the call as he was joined by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne at Beijing’s prestigious Peking University. The Mayor and the Chancellor both addressed the students and took part in a Q&A at the University.

APThe Mayor is on the second day of a six day trade mission to China as part of his continued drive to create jobs, skills and growth in the capital by promoting London as a major investment destination. His mission to forge closer ties with the Chinese will see him meeting with business leaders, key investors and senior politicians from the world’s second largest economy, worth an estimated $8.2 trillion.

The latest Times Higher Education World Rankings poll revealed that London has more world class universities in the global top 40 than any other city on earth. The number of Chinese people studying in London is rising, with a record 15 ,000 last year, making China London’s number one market for international students. London’s universities offer more than 30,000 courses from accountancy to zoology and everything in-between. Business studies are still the city’s most popular course – and London has a business school rated every year in the FT top 5.

The Mayor toured the beautiful Peking University campus, which is known as “Yan Yuan”(the garden of Yan) and is situated at Haidian District in the western suburbs of Beijing. The Chancellor is in Beijing for two days of Economic & Financial Dialogue (EFD) with the Chinese Government aimed at strengthening international business links with the UK. Both men hope to attract more overseas students to the capital, boosting the economy and helping maintain London’s status as a leading global centre for education.

Boris Johnson said: “I’m here to let students know that if they would like to study internationally, London’s world class higher education intuitions will welcome them with open arms. “The coveted Peking University has much in common with our top London universities and attracts a fantastic calibre of students from all across Asia. In London we offer many acclaimed academic institutions that produce innovative scientists, business leaders and expert doctors. Our creative hubs from St Central Martins to Royal College of Art are filled with a plethora of international artistic master minds shaping the designs of things to come. So I hope many young people take me up on the offer to expand their horizons and study in London.”

A quarter of China’s wealthiest and most powerful individuals say Britain offers the best education, globally. The capital is famed for its history and diversity has created a unique cultural richness that is demonstrated in the wide range of attractions and events. London is at the cutting edge of innovation and creativity, whether it is in business, fashion, design, art or science.

Some facts about Chinese students

1. Students are more welcome in London more than ever. There is no cap on the number of overseas students that can study in the UK; overseas students can work while studying, and undertake work placements; overseas students can remain in the UK to work after graduation if they secure employment.

2. Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that currently China is by the far the biggest provider of overseas students to the UK -with 67,000 students in the UK, compared with 39,000 from India

3. The capital boasts some of the greatest specialist institutions in the world, where students from around the world receive the highest standards of teaching and development in fields as diverse as art, science, design, business, fashion and music. World-class institutions include Central St Martins, Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music and Kings College.

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