British further and higher education needs a new "brand image"according to an international survey. The sector needs to sell itself as modern, diverse, friendly and good value for money if it is to protect its position in an increasingly competitive global market.
There needs to be a major marketing drive to dispel negative images of Britain among overseas students as "traditional and backward-looking ... cold and wet, having harsh immigration laws, being unfriendly and being worthy but dull", the British Council report said of the findings.
The rebranding should present Britain and British education as "responsive", "welcoming", "alive with possibilities" and "world class", the report suggests.
The research, part of a promotional push directed by Downing Street to attract more overseas students to Britain, was conducted by four agencies commissioned by the British Council. It canvassed the views of students in Australia, the United States and Britain, and academics and British Council staff abroad.
A new image playing on Britain's strengths and challenging perceived weaknesses is necessary if targets set by the government to recruit 50,000 more overseas students to higher education and 25,000 more to further education are to be met, the report says.
Tradition, diversity, safety, culture and lifestyle, are all seen as general strengths. British higher education benefits from offering high-quality, relatively short programmes, leading to internationally recognised qualifications. Further education colleges score well on flexibility, quality provision and career relevance.
But higher education falls down on cost, admissions procedures, inflexible courses and a lack of scholarships. Postgraduate provision is also seen as weak due to "cultural isolation", poor facilities and poor value for money. Further education is criticised for a lack of understanding of the needs of overseas students, inadequate support systems and funding problems.
Generally, Britain's weaknesses in the market arise from financial issues, including the cost of living and difficulties in finding work during and after a course.
In contrast, American education benefits from the country's position on the world stages of popular culture, politics, innovation and technology, and from its image as "a land of opportunity" and high-tech - a perception fuelled by the "Bill Gates syndrome".
Australian institutions now market aggressively and are openly "gunning" for Britain's share of the education market, cashing in on their country's laid-back image, which the report says "comes from Crocodile Dundee, beach life and the soaps".
The report proposes running a number of "tactical campaigns" to change perceptions of British education. The campaigns should also aim to reconnect with and "energise" the alumni population and promote both in-country and distance learning study.
A proposed new brand image is expected to be ready by the end of this year for marketing campaigns to start in January.