Friday mornings begin at a lethargic pace in Dubai as it is the dawn of the weekend. Yet on that Friday, at Movenpick Hotel on the busy Oudh Metha Road in Bur Dubai, the venue of The Hindu India Education Fair 2015 begins to draw visitors early. Eager parents are seen going around garnering details about the various courses that the universities in south India offer. Uniqueness in higher education programmes, novelty and flexibility in time schedules are the USPs of many universities that participated in the fair. The Global Connect that SRM University has woven into its programmes has led to a few innovations in higher education. “Our tie-up with universities in around 17 countries is significant because when our students study two or more semesters abroad, we continuously ensure that the curriculum of SRM matches with the university the student is sent to,” explains its business development manager Vijay Anand, as the parents in the stall listen intently.
Authentic information Abdul Gafoor, a chemical engineer from India and a resident of Dubai for more than a decade, is seated at the PSG Institute of Advanced Studies enclosure.
“I was very impressed with the authentic information I gathered about the higher education programs in India, at the fair last year.
So I am here again, because my daughter wants to study medicine. I prefer to send her to India, and here I get all the details I need under one roof,” he says.
Divya and Sibi Nair, a doctor couple at the fair, are seen going around the stalls patiently. “I’ve come here to explore avenues for my brother. Medicine is our choice and we want him to study in India,” says Divya, as they move towards the area where pamphlets of Saveetha University’s integrated courses and the choices offered by its medical college are on display.
VIT’s Fully Flexible Credit System (FFCS) allows students to choose their teachers, their timetable and also breaks between the beginning and completion of a course.
Similarly, as B. S. Abdur Rahman University’s A.F. Abubecker details the courses that their university has chalked out to suit students’ placements in companies such as Apollo Tyres and Ford parents and aspiring students listen in rapt attention. Shahil Siddharthan, who will be giving his class XII exams in a few days from now, is one of them.
“I came over to understand the options available for higher learning in India and I find the visit pretty useful,” he says.
Viscom and music Sujith Patnaik, a parent who plans to send his daughter to India for an undergraduate programme in visual communication, was interacting with popular media personality Ramesh Prabbha, chairman, Galaxy Group of Institutions.
“My elder daughter is studying in India. The younger one also wishes to pursue her undergraduate course there,” he says.
MIDAS (MARG Institute of Design and Architecture) and SAM (Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music), part of Swarnabhoomi Academic Institutions, had avid young enthusiasts visiting the pavilion to gather info.
The latter offers courses in contemporary and hindustani music. At the other end of the hall students and parents are all ears for D. Rajendra and Dr. Rajeev Ramachandran, as they elaborate on the innovative MBA programmes of Vel's University.
