Sharjah: The 12th annual Sharjah International Education Show (IES) will open its doors to students on Wednesday, giving them a chance to meet representatives of top educational institutions from across the region and world, organisers said.
The education show, which will be held at Expo Centre Sharjah from February 10 to 12, will feature more than 100 institutions, offering the widest range of undergraduate, postgraduate, professional and vocational courses in disciplines from medicine to engineering and management to new-age study programmes.
Saif Mohammad Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah, said the upcoming IES is looking to build on the remarkable growth in visitor turnout it has achieved during the past two editions. “We expect a better performance given that underlying fundamentals are strong and exhibitor inquiries are still coming in despite the show dates getting closer.”
IES recorded a 31 per cent rise in visitor turnout (20,662) for its 10th edition in 2014, and a nearly 28 per cent surge in 2015 (23,476), reflecting the growing appeal of the show as well as the rising demand for higher education in the region.
Experts pointed out that demand for higher education is on the rise due to increasing population, rising numbers of inbound expatriates, and the increased importance being placed on high-quality education and career-oriented programmes.
They also said that youngsters are looking at higher education to help them better prepare for the workforce, which is beset with fierce competition, inadequate professional skills and lack of real-world work experience.
“Youngsters are seeking an internationally recognised higher education qualification or a professional certificate to position themselves better in an increasingly competitive job market,” said Al Midfa. “IES provides them with direct information about higher education, various programmes, scholarships, admissions and life as a student at different institutions,” said Al Midfa.
For the third consecutive time, under the aegis of AFAIRS Exhibitions & Media, the concurrent Great India Education Fair will also host more than 60 exhibitors from India. It will showcase some of the premier Indian universities, colleges and higher education institutions, offering varied academic, professional and vocational programmes.
The exhibition timings are from 9am to 2pm and 5 to 9pm on February 10 and 11. It will be open from 5pm to 9pm only on Friday, February 12. There will be exclusive session for boys only on February 10 and girls only on February 11 from 9am to 2pm. Admission is free.
