The Dispatch
The Power of Knowledge Diplomacy
Several locations like Germany, Australia and the Arab region are using higher education to build international relationships, influence global narratives and foster collaboration across borders.
By Gauri Kohli
“While cultural diplomacy can include a wide range of people-to-people education and cultural exchanges, it is not broad enough to include the central elements of higher education, such as research and innovation. Rather, the emphasis is on people mobility.”
In today’s world, where traditional diplomacy often struggles under the weight of geopolitical tensions and rising nationalism, universities have quietly stepped in as powerful bridges—fostering connection, understanding and cooperation across borders.
Higher education institutions, through academic exchanges, research partnerships and transnational campuses, are becoming central to how countries project soft power and shape global narratives. From Germany’s structured science diplomacy to the Arab countries’ global engagement, and Australia’s regional integration through the Colombo Plan, higher education is no longer just a public good — it is also a strategic asset.
Soft Power: An Evolving Concept
The term “soft power” refers to a country’s ability to influence others through attraction rather than coercion. In higher education, soft power finds expression through international student mobility, collaborative research, and academic outreach. Yet, as Dr David Roberts, Reader in International Security and Middle East Studies at King’s College London, cautions, the concept is often “under-theorised” and loosely applied. “All states want to be better understood, and having people live in a country for a period is one way to potentially foster that understanding,” he says.
But beyond cultural immersion lies a deeper strategy. According to Jane Knight, Professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in Canada, what is often branded as soft power may, in fact, be more accurately described as “knowledge diplomacy”. This term includes international higher education, research and innovation initiatives aimed at mutual benefit and collaboration rather than unilateral influence. Knight’s distinction is critical: while soft power suggests influence and attraction, knowledge diplomacy emphasises reciprocity and shared progress.
Knowledge diplomacy is being used interchangeably and confused with terms such as soft power and cultural and science diplomacy.
“While cultural diplomacy can include a wide range of people-to-people education and cultural exchanges, it is not broad enough to include the central elements of higher education, such as research and innovation. Rather, the emphasis is on people mobility. The more recent trend of higher education providers moving across borders to offer foreign programmes in the students’ home country is not accommodated in the notion of cultural diplomacy,” says Knight in her research study titled ‘Knowledge Diplomacy in Action’ for the British Council.
Knight cites the African Union’s creation of five regional research institutes across the continent—each focused on specific disciplines—in partnership with African and international organisations, as an example of knowledge diplomacy.
Another example is RENKEI, which means collaboration in Japanese, a university research network and knowledge diplomacy initiative between Japanese and UK universities.
Germany and the Role of Science Diplomacy
Germany, too, has recognised the power of higher education in global diplomacy. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides a good example of science diplomacy in action. The DAAD works to foster global knowledge networks and academic partnerships.
“From the perspective of the DAAD, international higher education and academic exchange play a central role in Germany’s soft power toolkit, better known as science diplomacy. While we cannot speak for Germany or the EU, the DAAD sees academic cooperation as an effective tool for scientific progress, international understanding, confidence-building and long-term diplomacy,” a DAAD spokesperson tells QS Insights Magazine.
DAAD initiatives range from scholarships and institutional partnerships to the establishment of Centres of Excellence abroad. “Our programmes are not designed to exert influence in a political sense,” says the DAAD spokesperson, “but to promote academic advancement, intercultural dialogue and long-term cooperation.”
The impact is multifaceted. DAAD alumni often rise to leadership roles in academia, government and industry, thereby enhancing Germany’s global reputation. “International students are also an important part of solving the shortage of skilled workers in Germany,” the spokesperson adds.
This practical advantage goes hand-in-hand with broader benefits like building goodwill and fostering international understanding.
Australia: Regional Integration Through Education
The Colombo Plan, an intergovernmental organisation to provide human development aid, offers one of the earliest examples of higher education as a tool of soft power. Launched in the 1950s, founding members include Australia, Canada, Sri Lanka, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and the United Kingdom.
As one of its founding members, Australia was particularly interesting in using education to engage with the Asia Pacific. “The government saw the benefit of having influential people in Asian countries with a knowledge of Australia and, it was hoped, some affection for it,” says Melissa Conley-Tyler of the Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue, backed by the Australian government.
By 1985, over 20,000 students from across Asia studied in Australia under the original plan, and many became high-ranking officials and business leaders. This has created enduring diplomatic and economic ties.
This ability to create ties has only continued as the education sector became an important export industry - now Australia’s fourth largest. “Recognising that education is a soft power asset and development tool, the government continues to fund Australia Awards across various fields to facilitate productive relationships and critical economic and diplomatic linkages,” says Conley-Tyler.
“Having graduates from Australian universities in positions of power and influence is a huge win for Australia. It means that decision-makers have a good knowledge of Australia, and this has the potential to open doors to partnerships across a variety of fields where Australia might otherwise struggle to get attention,” she adds.
Australian alumni have gone on to become Indonesian foreign ministers, Malaysian ministers for trade and CEOs across many sectors. “At one time a quarter of Mongolia’s cabinet members had studied in Australia,” she notes.
The benefits of the original Colombo Plan were so revered that in 2014, Australia launched the New Colombo Plan, adding another dimension by encouraging outbound study as an essential tool to build Australia’s knowledge of its region. By facilitating education and internship opportunities for young Australians within the Indo-Pacific, it enhances Australia’s overall Asia literacy and also strengthens Australia’s image as a regionally engaged and like-minded partner.
Conley-Tyler stresses that the quality of the international student experience is central to Australia’s soft power. “This means attending to issues like housing, public transport and community connections.” These seemingly mundane factors can significantly influence how Australia is perceived globally.
The Arab Region: Building A Global Campus Strategy
Over the years, Arab nations have leveraged universities not only as engines of innovation, but as bridges for cross-cultural dialogue and global engagement.
According to Professor Anas Ratib ALSoud, Executive Director, Association of Arab Universities, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, have strategically invested in higher education as a key vehicle of soft power. “By establishing world-class universities, hosting international branch campuses and fostering research ecosystems, they have positioned themselves as intellectual and innovation hubs within the Arab region and globally,” he says.
The UAE, for instance, hosts more than 25 international university campuses, including branches of New York University, Sorbonne and the University of Birmingham. These institutions attract both local and international students, providing Western-style education in a culturally rich, strategically located environment.
Similarly, Qatar Foundation’s Education City is home to universities such as Georgetown and Carnegie Mellon, reinforcing Qatar’s role in global knowledge diplomacy. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 prioritises education reform, with initiatives like King Abdullah University of Science and Technology promoting global scientific collaboration.
“Through such initiatives, Gulf nations export values like tolerance, innovation and development. Internationalisation of education is a potent tool in shaping global narratives. When countries host international campuses, engage in joint research, or recruit international students, they are not just educating, they are building bridges, exporting culture, and fostering long-term influence,” says Professor ALSoud.
Joint degree programmes, faculty exchange, and collaborative research also help embed Arab universities within global academic networks, shifting the narrative from passive recipient to active contributor to global knowledge.
Through these efforts, universities serve as ambassadors of culture, competence and credibility, redefining the Arab region as a vital player in shaping the future of global education.
Ethical trade-offs and challenges
Using higher education for diplomatic ends is not without ethical tensions. The DAAD acknowledges potential risks, including the instrumentalisation of academia for political purposes and the erosion of academic freedom. "That is why we are committed to transparent, values-based international cooperation,” says their spokesperson.
Knight echoes this caution, warning against the misuse of “soft power” as a catch-all term. She advocates for a clearer understanding of different diplomatic frameworks. “It is imperative that the difference between soft power and knowledge diplomacy be made clear,” she says in the British Council study.
Future Outlook
As global challenges like climate change, pandemics and digital disruption require collaborative solutions, the role of universities as diplomatic actors is poised to grow. According to the DAAD spokesperson, “As geopolitical tensions rise, spaces for dialogue and cooperation become more important—not less.”
In this evolving landscape, higher education will continue to straddle the line between national interest and global cooperation. The challenge is not only to wield soft power effectively but to ensure that it is grounded in mutuality, respect, and shared progress.
As Conley-Tyler says, “Internationally-engaged universities provide benefits for individuals, institutions and wider society... getting the best minds collaborating to solve the world’s most urgent problems.”
Highlighting the notable shifts underway in Arab countries, Professor ALSoud says these nations are increasingly looking beyond the traditional West and towards Asia, Africa, and Latin America for academic collaboration and student recruitment. “This reflects a multipolar vision of education diplomacy,” he adds.
The India-Arab Higher Education Dialogue, for example, has gained momentum, with the Association of Arab Universities signing agreements with the Association of Indian Universities and University Grants Commission-India.
In Africa, the Arab League and several Gulf states are supporting capacity-building initiatives in Francophone and Anglophone African countries, using education as a tool for regional solidarity and soft influence.
These shifts indicate a broader understanding that education diplomacy is no longer unidirectional, and that South–South cooperation can be just as powerful in redefining influence and shared progress.