Representatives of top regional and international universities highlight strategic importance of event in building strong relations with target audiences
April 29, 2013
GETEX Spring 2013 concluded an extensive showcase of over 2,500 academic, vocational and training programmes, gathering more than 400 leading academic institutions worldwide and inviting over 35,000 visitors at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from April 17 to 19. The silver jubilee edition of GETEX Spring, which was inaugurated by H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, was warmly received by government entities, corporate organizations, academic institutions, students and parents from the Middle East, underlining the increasing focus on education, training and professional development initiatives across the region.
GETEX Spring 2013, which is recognized as the leading education and training event in the Middle East and Asia, also generated an overwhelming response from top local, regional and international universities, academic institutions and training organizations, highlighting the strategic importance of GETEX as an ideal networking avenue and showcase for quality educational programs being offered worldwide.
Several universities and academic institutions that participated in GETEX Spring pointed out the impact of the event on their brand strategy and in establishing strong relations with target audiences, particularly parents and corporate organizations across the region. They also commended the way the show was organised by International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E).
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.”
Raghad Dahham, Senior Officer, Student Recruitment and Admissions, Al Ghurair University, said, “This event is a great opportunity to meet students, other schools and other visitors. 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 USA. We also noticed that the show was very well-organized with excellent services provided by the organisers.”
Daniel Adkins, Academic Director, Murdoch University, commented, “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.”
Visitors to GETEX, which is supported by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research, also pointed out how the exhibition provided them with a wide range of academic options they are in process of searching.
“I have found a lot of universities at GETEX which are offering courses in Interior Design which my daughter is considering specializing in,” said Abeer Tohami, a parent. “In fact, GETEX has also made us cognizant to some universities and majors which we were not considering prior to our visit.”
Geno James, a student who attended the event, echoed similar sentiments. “GETEX helps us in getting better education and finding the university of our choice. My selected major is Finance, so I attended the event to look for universities specializing in that field of study and I found many potential options during my visit,” said James.
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 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.