A gateway for students to study abroad

Scores of students, who are at a crossroads of a career and seeking higher education abroad, attended The Hindu Education Plus International Education Fair- 2015 at The Gateway Hotel on Saturday. While the U.S. and UK remained the top favourite destinations of higher education abroad, many students came to the event with an open mind to get information on specialised courses offered by institutes in Europe, Singapore, Dubai and other countries and get an insight into the admission process and job opportunities in various fields.

The fair saw participation from a number of universities and colleges from countries such as UK, U.S., Canada, Australia, Singapore, Dubai, New Zealand, Malaysia, Philippines, Italy, Latvia, Germany, Sweden, France, and other European countries that offered various courses to suit every student’s need.

“Most students from Andhra Pradesh are keen on pursuing courses in computer science. But they are now looking beyond being a programmer or a developer. Masters programmes in cloud computing, information systems and network security are increasingly gaining popularity among students now,” said Jayaraman Navalavan, Operations Manager, ECPI University, Virginia, USA.

Seminars on education in the U.S., Holland, Germany, Latvia, Singapore and a separate seminar for IELTS were held during the day-long programme. Interestingly, the education fair also saw students turning up with specific queries for courses abroad in subjects like western music, renewable energy and architectural design. V. Nishanth, an engineering graduate in electronics, was keen on pursuing a course in western music. “I am looking for a formal education in western music. The education fair gives a great platform for students to interact with universities across the world and explore specialised courses,” he said.

There were many queries for courses in pure sciences in Canada, which has emerged as an attractive destination for Indian students due to significantly lower tuition fee compared to its southern neighbour. “We have seen a revival of interest among Indian students for pure sciences like biology and also courses in economics and physics. Management courses in logistics and supply chain management are also finding good response from the students here,” said Asha Shankar of University of Windsor.

This apart, many students also enquired about courses in finance and capital markets from BSE Institute, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bombay Stock Exchange Limited (BSE) that offers programmes in collaboration with Australian Universities and Germany.

“The fair has given me a fair understanding for a post-graduate course in Telecommunications in UK institutes. It is an excellent exposure for students who are still unsure of the path ahead,” said S. Himasahiti, a third year engineering student. Thomas Cook was the official forex and travel partner for the event. Silk Air of Singapore Airlines was the official airline partner and British Council IELTS was the official examination partner.