The International Education Show aimed at bringing together students seeking to further their academic studies and leading higher education institutions from all over the world got under way today (October 12) in Sharjah.

The event, which will continue until October 14, is being held at the Sharjah Expo Centre.

The show was opened by Fawzia Hassan Gharib, assistant under secretary education operation of the Ministry of Education.  Present at the ceremony were Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, director-general of Expo Centre Sharjah, and officials of various government departments.

The steady growth in UAE’s public and private schools and other educational institutions are opening up excellent opportunities for the higher education sector.

There are nearly 790,836 students in the UAE’s 1,190 private and public schools across the country, according to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority figures.

The growth of international schools in the UAE has also been significant. In the year 2000 there were 97 international schools in the UAE teaching 77,000 students, according to ISC Research.

By 2009, this had increased to 251 international schools teaching 174,600 students and today there are 357 international schools in the UAE teaching 302,300 children.

The enrollment of students at the 17 campuses of the Higher Colleges of Technology in the country is steadily increasing, with the figure is expected to touch over 20,000 students this year. This is apart from other public higher education institutions and international universities in the country.

“The recently approved education agenda of the country until 2020 and the three-year strategy of the National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority (Tanmia) for 2011 to 2013 aims at putting education at the centre of the country’s developmental thrust. This will help prepare students to become key contributors to the country’s growth,” said Saif Mohammed Al Midfa.

“Restructuring the education system, improving professionalism and introducing technical systems at schools and educational districts are also part of the agenda. These factors are set to boost the growth of the education sector further and generate better awareness and interest among students for higher education,” he said.

For the seventh edition of the show, nearly 60 leading local, regional and international educational institutions will showcase their undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, vocational training programmes, short-term certificate courses, diplomas, professional development programmes and distance learning courses.

For the first time, the Ministry of Education, Malaysia, is organising a national pavilion that will feature 10 of the country’s best universities.

Malaysia has a world-class education system and strong international reputation. The country is a popular study destination for international students interested in education abroad.

Apart from accredited and high-quality education programs, Malaysia offers an opportunity to work while studying, competitive tuition fees, low living cost, multicultural studying environment, hassle free immigration procedure, and an enjoyable student life.

A new entry in the education sector of the country and a first-timer at the education show, Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya, is offering free admissions and gifts worth Dh 100,000 ($27,377) to visiting students through a lucky draw.

The university, fully approved by several Indian government accreditation agencies, was launched in the UAE last week, and will offer two MBA admissions, a laptop and a mobile phone on all the three days of the show.

A key attraction for students this time will be the presence of esteemed educational institutions like London School of Business and Finance; Living Arts College, US; Monash University, Australia; Swiss Hotel Management School, Manipal; Paris Sorbonne, Abu Dhabi; and New York universities.

Several other institutions from Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Malaysia, Switzerland, UK and US, apart from the local universities, and higher education institutes, are also showcasing their programmes at the show.

“We are also organising a seminar by Dr Mohan Agarwal, who is a professor of marketing at the Institute of Management Technology, Dubai, and an award-winning marketing professor, trainer, and consultant who has worked and taught around the world and authored numerous publications. The seminar will be a valuable experience for visiting students, parents and teachers,” added Al Midfa.

Dr Agarwal has recently been awarded the title of ‘Best Professor in Marketing Management in Asia 2011’ by the Global Education Forum. He is considered to be one of the most respected and much sought-after marketing gurus.

The profile of exhibitors at the show covers universities, colleges, polytechnics, IT institutes, business schools, technical management training centres, medical schools, hotel management institutes, fine art schools, language centres, distance-learning institutes, and other tertiary institutions.

The show will be open daily from 9am to 2pm and 4pm to 8pm. On Friday, it will be open from 4pm to 8pm. Entry is free for all.

The International Education Show is a joint initiative of the UAE Ministry of Education and Expo Centre Sharjah and is supported by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. – TradeArabia News Service