We were in an old established Brighton Chinese Restuarant yesterday(Sunday) It was choca bloc at 4p.m. nearly all Chinese people having dim sung. There is no shortage of Chinese students in Brighton. Interestingly, there is no shortage of Students in this Town of any Nationality. The trouble is that when they have finished as students 1000s do not wish to return home and they become part of the great urban drift happenning all over the globe. The young seem to crave places like Brighton as the centre of their world which will provide future happiness and contentment. Of course reality is very different, but their student life in Brighton is very beguiling, and they think it can be continued by just staying there.

About five years back, I attended a conference run by the British Council and various official Chinese bodies. It was all about the labour market in China for returning students. I had the chance to listen to and watch not just the official presentations - which were very good - but talk to students whom I approached. I particularly remember one lad whose fees were being paid by his whole village. He would return, get a wonderful job (he was talking to a UK manufacturer with a factory in China), and fund the next generation. His passionate desire to repay the faith shown in him by the people of his village was humbling. All the students I spoke to had enjoyed their experience in the UK except for one who had experienced racist abuse. Even he said that was not typical. Such attitudes almost guarantee that they will think of the UK in years to come, when they want to buy western technology or recommend overseas universities. The trend is for Chinese to do a first degree at home and the very brightest go overseas for postgraduate studies.

Our universities offer a wonderful way for us to win friends and influence people.