Over 35,000 visitors attended the Getex Spring 2013, which had an extensive showcase of over 2,500 academic, vocational and training programmes, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The event gathered more than 400 leading academic institutions worldwide, a statement from the organisers International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E) said. Getex was warmly received by government entities, corporate organisations, academic institutions, students and parents from the Middle East, underlining the increasing focus on education, training and professional development initiatives across the region.

It is recognised as the leading education and training event in the Middle East and Asia, and generated an overwhelming response from top local, regional and international universities, academic institutions and training organisations, highlighting the strategic importance of Getex as an ideal networking avenue and showcase for quality educational programmes being offered worldwide.

Dr Ayoub Kazim, managing director of Tecom Education Cluster – Dubai International Academic City (Diac) and Dubai Knowledge Village, said: “Getex provides Diac with the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of students' academic needs and strengths; and to showcase the unique programmes offered by our academic partners according to their distinct set of requirements.”

“We pride ourselves on the quality of education on offer at our world renowned universities and will continue to work closely with our partners to ensure that the high quality of our programmes is maintained and that the types of courses on offer cater to the demands of the local industry.”

“This event is a great opportunity to meet students, other schools and other visitors,” Raghad Dahham, senior officer, student recruitment and admissions, Al Ghurair University, said. “This year, we were consistently busy throughout the three days of the show. It provided great exposure to our university and a chance to introduce ‘Al Ghurair’ to participating institutes from outside the UAE such as Thailand, UK, Germany and US. We also noticed that the show was very well-organised with excellent services provided by the organisers.”
 
Daniel Adkins, academic director, Murdoch University, said: “Getex is our single biggest recruitment activity of the year and always produces major results for the university. We have been participating in this event for the last three years, and have always noted that it has been organised on the same level of efficiency and consistency throughout the years. We always look forward to taking part in this exhibition.”

The general education segment of the event this year presented school-goers with a gateway of information intelligence on day-scholar, residential/boarding schools and summer camps, the statement said. The higher education segment offered both undergraduate and post-graduate courses that highlighted the Middle East as one of the fastest growing student populations.

The vocational & occupational training segment aimed to bridge the divide between education and industry by encouraging learners to acquire skills in specific job profiles, empowering them to quickly enter the workforce and gain career independence.

Targeting the largely untapped market for professional service providers, the professional development segment provided access to customised executive education for mid-to-senior management levels as well as junior levels. – TradeArabia News Service