Britain's aid budget needs to be spent in a smarter way in order to increase the country's "soft power" across the globe, a new report states.
The study by think-tank ResPublica called for institutions like universities, museums, the British Council, and the BBC to be properly funded to promote stability and widen access to education in crisis-hit areas of the world.
Humanitarian aid and military interventions on their own are not enough to help troubled regions, and the UK should switch to a more nuanced approach, the report stated.
The study said that use of UK "hard power" in the past, such as British backing for the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, had damaged the country's standing abroad.
A switch to soft power would benefit the UK as it embarks on Brexit and boost its overseas influence and reputation, according to the think-tank which said that resources should be reallocated to educational, creative and cultural organisations to achieve the aim.
The budget for strengthening international civil society and promoting access to education should be increased from £1.7 billion to £2 billion, the report recommended.
It also called for the establishment of a Global Britain Scholarships programme, annually sponsoring 5,000 foreign students studying in the UK, and the same number of British students learning abroad, at a cost of £235 million.
The report called for international students to be removed from net migration targets, and urged that soft power be coordinated by the Foreign Office and have a sub-committee of the National Security Council monitor the situation.
The museum sector should get investment of at least £2 million a year for international partnerships, the study said.
The Government should also commit to continuing its £85 million annual investment in the BBC World Service's foreign language programming beyond 2020.
Director of ResPublica Phillip Blond said: "In a post-Brexit world, we need to develop a new mindset towards Britain's place on the global stage, not only through trade but in our relationships and level of influence in all parts of the globe.
"Soft power means bringing together diplomacy, cultural relations and national interest in a way which turns away from relying solely on military intervention and humanitarian aid and instead provides a more holistic way to promote our values and help others.
"We need a smarter approach to international aid policy which would see a reallocation of funds to British institutions, including educational, creative and cultural organisations, to deliver this."
Tory MP Crispin Blunt, chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said: "Following Brexit, the United Kingdom must present itself to the world anew, re-engaging with old friends and new allies alike."
Sir Ciaran Devane, chief executive of the British Council, said: "Our world-leading universities, museums and charities give the UK a unique role on the global stage.
"Around the world, UK institutions are helping give a voice to the next generation, to women, and to others who are marginalised."
A Government spokesman said: "This Government is committed to using both our aid and our soft power to help the world's poorest and to project the UK's global influence around the world. It's not about choosing one or the other; our aid is already a vital part of our global influence and will continue to be as we leave the EU."