VisitBritain/GREAT campaign research on London 2012’s impact

Thursday 17 January 2013

The British Council has welcomed research that show the impact of the London 2012 Games on the UK’s overseas image.

John Worne, Director of Strategy at the British Council, said:

“This research confirms our view that 2012 put the UK’s vibrant culture on the world stage like never before. The English language, UK education opportunities, the Arts and our way of life have never been in greater demand worldwide – our ‘soft power’ is a world class asset for the UK.

“All the signs point to a significant return on the UK’s investment in the big events of 2012. But we can’t rest on our laurels – the only way to ensure that we continue to enjoy a positive image in the eyes of the world is to keep ourselves on the world stage through international education, language learning, and sharing our great cultural assets.”

See details of the British Council’s own research on how the UK’s big events of 2012 have benefited the UK’s reputation overseas.

About the British Council

The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide. We are a Royal Charter charity, established as the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations.

We work in more than 100 countries, and our 7000 staff – including 2000 teachers – work with thousands of professionals and policy makers and millions of young people every year through English, arts, education and society programmes.

We earn over 75% of our annual turnover of £739 million from services which customers pay for, education and development contracts we bid for and from partnerships. A UK Government grant provides the remaining 25%. We match every £1 of core public funding with over £3 earned in pursuit of our charitable purpose.