Bangalore: Biotechnology, bioinformatics, nanotechnology, MBA, information technology and computer science courses continued to get the maximum enquiries at the annual Education U.K. Exhibition. The two-day exhibition drew 1,030 students and working professionals on Friday. The exhibition is being held at The Grand Ashok on Kumara Krupa Road.
“I had college today, but came all the way to Bangalore because I really wanted to come to the fair. Tomorrow, more students will come to the exhibition. I wanted to come when the crowd is manageable and the participants have the time to tell me about the institution and answer whatever questions I may have,” said Nitin Immanuel, a final year engineering student from Mysore.
Harsh Mundra, a final year B.Com student from a city college, said that education institutions in the U.K. continue to draw international students even though universities in Singapore and Hong Kong are becoming popular.
“Institutions there have been around for hundreds of years and are known to have maintained high quality. This is why institutions in the U.K. will continue to attract international students,” he said.
Sudha Madhusudhan, who works in a call centre, said that she wanted to take a break and study further. “The work experience that I have will probably help me clinch the course I want. I took up the job because I wanted to study further at my own expense and did not want to burden my parents. I know which institution I want to join. I came to the exhibition because I had a few questions about the course,” she said.
As many as 67 educational institutions are participating in the exhibition. As part of the exhibition, seminars on various topics have been organised.
L. Dhanasekaran, Head, Education U.K. (South India), British Council, said that several factors such as discounts for travel, entertainment and healthcare, unique schemes that allow students to work after they have finished their courses and shorter duration of courses, as compared to other countries, had made the U.K. an attractive destination for students.
More than 27,000 Indian students are studying in the U.K. now. “The number of students from South India is more than 6,800, which is 14 per cent higher than last year’s figure. The number of Indian students choosing to study in the U.K. is growing at the rate of over 10 per cent each year,” he said.
He said that more students were expected to participate on the final day of the exhibition. Students can register on the spot to visit the exhibition and interact with representatives from the participating institutions. For more information about the institutions and seminars, visit www.educationuk-in.org.
U.K. is still an attractive education destination
UK offers high quality education
The 2001 Education UK Exhibition, organized by the British Council Taipei, is scheduled to be held from Oct 20 to 25 in Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung and Hsinchu. There will about 98 UK schools participating at this exhibition and will introduce the whole range of courses available at the British institutions including English language courses, secondary education, vocational education, undergraduate study, Master's courses, PhDs, as well as Distance Learning Programs.
The British Council Taipei has been very successful in promoting education opportunities in the UK for Taiwanese students, said Susana Galvan, the Director Education Promotion of The British Council Taipei. There are currently about 12,000 to 14,000 Taiwanese students studying in the UK, according to estimates by Taiwan's Ministry of Education.
The Education UK Brand was launched in Taiwan last year in the form of "UK Education -- The Best You Can Be," a promotion to introduce study opportunities in the UK. Galvan said, the main factors that have made promoting education in the UK successful can be attributed to the fact that Taiwanese parents and students invest a lot in overseas education. Moreover, international education is now more accessible to Taiwan's students and a wider knowledge of the quality of UK education. People who have studied in the UK also talk about the high degree of UK education quality and recommend UK to friends and relatives.
There are also numerous advantages such as the one year Masters program. This intensive course allows students to save on time and money. British universities have a high reputation for quality and offer a wide range of courses available to suit every students needs. It is a flexible approach to learning. Students can take an MBA specialized in any particular area.
More and more Taiwan students are now also attracted to Europe and UK provides a gateway not only to study but also travel around the continent. UK offers flexible English language courses ranging from one week to one year. There are even language courses catering to mothers, kids, business people, pilots, professionals, or you can even opt to choose English learning plus a sporting event such as golf or football. However, Galvan cautions students to choose only accredited English language schools. You can check with the British Council for accredited language schools. There are also numerous universities that provide short and long term English language learning.
In order to select the appropriate educational institution, students can find the Internet useful to look for information about choosing a school in the UK. Or they can contact the schools directly or through the British Council Office in Taipei. "The British Council Taipei has education counselors to answer any inquiries that students have or details like choosing the right school and is free of charge," said Galvan.
The British Council Taipei also invites alumni to provide details of their studies in the UK and can be found in the alumni database. It also organizes social activities for alumni and invites them to seminars to present their views on study in UK. The British Council Taipei is now in the process of establishing a job link to assist alumni in job placements with British companies in Taiwan.
Students departing for studies in the UK can also attend the briefing sessions that discuss on important aspects such as the weather, food, accommodation, money, financial and legal matters, National Health Service, whom to contact for emergency and problems, cultural differences, personal safety.
The main highlight at this year's British education exhibition is the launching of the 2002 Arts Scholarship in Visual and Applied Arts. A press conference and a science game (SSS) will be held today at the exhibition venue.
Lastly, Galvan encourages Taiwan students pursuing studies in the UK to learn about the life and culture in the UK, mingle with the people, learn their way of life, and have fun, make friends, and you will be able to gain a lifetime valuable experience.
UK education expo draws huge response
Dubai: Around 2,000 students, parents and professionals visited the annual Education UK Exhibition (EDUKEX), a three-day education exhibition organised by the British Council, which opened last Sunday in Abu Dhabi and closed on Tuesday in Dubai.
The Abu Dhabi show, which lasted for a day, received 900 visitors, while the two following days in Dubai saw more than 1,300 people attend. The British Council announced on the first day that over 2,200 Emirati students are currently pursuing higher education the UK.
"There is growing interest in the UK education across the region because governments are reforming educational systems and with the growth of knowledge economies, government are giving research more importance. Governments know that the UK system has a tradition of innovation, cutting edge research so they feel safe with the UK because it's tried and tested - and it works," Alison Devine, deputy director of British Council UAE and regional manager Education UK in the Middle East, told Gulf News.
Emiratisation
"Providing education here supports the Emiratisation drive by meeting the needs of the knowledge economy. The UK higher education providers are working with the UAE for the needs of the UAE and to benefit the community at large," she added.
By Maysam Ali
http://www.gulfnews.com
