Increasingly, states enhance their soft power via the internationalisation of higher education.

The promotion of national higher education abroad follows very commonsense rules worldwide, whether you are China, or the Netherlands: courses held in English, value for money, employability granted, the attraction of foreign professors and researchers.

And, above all, the funding of state-controlled promotion agencies.

On the subject, it may be interesting to read https://runinproject.eu/how-can-universities-contribute-to-the-soft-power-of-their-states/