If stalls set up by universities from the U.S. and the U.K. provided students with an opportunity to know more about well-known colleges, stalls put up by countries such as Russia and Germany gave young career-seekers an opportunity to find out about universities they had not heard of.
Students and parents who attended the second edition of The Hindu EducationPlus International Education Fair here on Tuesday were pleased with the variety of options on offer, and that they got to spend “quality time” with university representatives.
Direct interaction
“Education fairs are good because we get to interact with officials who may not be as responsive via email,” said Bharat K., an engineering graduate who is looking to do an MS abroad. He said that he was surprised to know that courses in Germany and Russia, where a large part of the tuition fee is waived, offered courses in English.
Kunal S., a student from PES School of Engineering, said: “I had planned to pursue my undergraduate course at a foreign university, but it did not happen as I was not provided enough information. Thankfully, this fair has thrown light on several universities around the world, which will help students like me choose the best institution.”
German universities
Another engineering graduate, Swathi V., from Dayananda Sagar of Engineering, said she had come to the fair to find out about German universities in particular. “I am here to choose the best German university, as there is no tuition fee in Germany. Flying abroad for higher education provides one with better job aspects and improves one's resume. This fair has not disappointed me as they organised seminars country-wise, from the U.S. to Germany.”
‘Excellent response'
Shifali Kumar, recruitment head, India, University of South Florida, said: “The student turnout at this fair has been excellent and above our expectations. Students prefer going abroad to pursue higher education as they get international exposure in a fast-expanding world. There are several good universities in India that are on a par with many foreign universities, but due to limited seats, students end up flying abroad.”
Anastasia Sazonova, a representative at the Russia stall, said: “Russia offers a wide range of courses in all fields from medical to engineering. West Russia is a major hub for students and we provide quality education.”
Besides university representatives, several overseas education consultants had also put up stalls.
The Hindu EducationPlus International Education Fair made its debut in Bangalore last year.
The fair, an annual feature in cities such as Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi and Hyderabad, is being organised with the objectives of creating a platform for every aspiring student by providing complete information on education abroad, and bringing together education providers and students on a single platform.
