EDUKEX 2007

The EDUKEX 2007 series of exhibitions will showcase courses and programmes from more than 50 UK institutions, of which 21 are exhibiting at EDUKEX for the first time.

The exhibition offers students and parents the opportunity to talk directly to some of the leading institutions from the UK and to benefit from these consultations which can cover everything from course and programme content and selection, entry requirements, tuition and living costs, accommodation options and extra curricular activities to advise on living in the UK and even visas.

Abu Dhabi: November 17 04:30–9:30pm
Venue: Le Royal Meridien Hotel, Grand Liwa Ballroom

Dubai: November 18-19 5:00 – 9:00pm
Venue: Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, Grand Rashidiya Ballroom
www.britishcouncil.org/me

Alison Devine, Deputy Director of the British Council in the UAE with a remit for Education UK in the Middle East, said: "EDUKEX 2007 brings together a large number of prestigious UK universities and colleges, which offer everything from academic and vocational programmes to summer English language courses and A levels. It is the perfect opportunity to meet a wide variety of institutions and compare what's on offer — all with the guarantee of quality that comes with selecting the UK as an overseas study destination. In fact, there are more than 10,000 students from the Middle East currently studying in the UK and it continues to be an increasingly popular destination amongst students in the region."

The British Council is also offering advice to students to help them prepare for the exhibition and to help them extract the most value from the meetings they have with institutions at EDUKEX 2007: "Much of this preparation is commonsense but it does require students to consider carefully their priorities, including the study area, type of course preferred and the ultimate qualification that the student may want to obtain. When thinking about selecting an institution, students may want to consider the location in the UK, any specific extra curricular activities that he or she may be looking for, and the local support available to international students. Effective preparation pays off and means that students visiting EDUKEX will be able to make the most of this valuable opportunity and obtain the right information, quickly," adds Vishal Sacheendran, Education UK Promotion Manager.

— The writer is the director of the Counselling Point Educational and Social services and an Adjunct faculty, Sharjah Women's College

Aberystwyth Ambassadors Scheme
The Aberystwyth Ambassadors Scheme has been established by the School of Management and Business to reward bright, talented students with scholarships, and provide them with a professional environment in which to develop their marketing skills. The scholarships are available to undergraduate, postgraduate and MBA students. Students accepting the scholarships will be expected to work together in the Ambassadors Marketing Group and undertake significant marketing responsibilities, on behalf of the school.

Aston University
Aston University with a total student population of just over 8,800 from over 100 countries is committed to providing high quality, innovative programmes, which meet the needs of the professional world and prepares graduates for a challenging and rewarding career. Aston has an excellent graduate employment record consistently appearing in the top three (frequently number one) UK universities for the proportion of graduates, who enter employment within six months of graduation.

University of Bristol, Faculty of Engineering
Bristol's engineering heritage is world famous, and the Faculty of Engineering has attracted over £75 million in industrial and governmental research awards over the past five years; it has spent over £20 million on infrastructure and laboratory equipment that will keep it at the forefront of teaching and research. Consistently rated as one of the best universities in the UK, the University of Bristol is located in the centre of a culturally vibrant and visually stunning city.

Brunel University
Brunel University is a campus-based University with modern First-Class accommodation and excellent sports and recreation facilities. All subjects have been graded "excellent" for teaching quality since 1997. Work placements are available as part of some courses and Brunel has extensive links with industry and commerce.

Cambridge Regional College
Cambridge Regional College is a large modern and technologically advanced College of Further Education. There are more than 21,000 students studying courses that range from basic certificates to higher national diplomas. Courses are offered across a range of subjects, including English as a foreign Language (EFL); Summer Schools; University Foundation Courses; GCSE's. Language courses cover English for work (e.g. business, law, science etc), English for academic purposes, general English, preparation for IELTS, English plus other subjects and integration courses.

University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a top-20 UK university. It has 13,500 students at its campuses in Exeter and Cornwall, research income of £30 million a year and a network of 55,000 alumni across 150 countries. Exeter's degree programmes in history, business, drama, economics, education, engineering, physics, geology, German, Spanish, sports science, mathematics, politics and psychology all appear in their respective subject top 20 league tables in the latest Times Good University Guide. The University opened in 2006 a MENA representative office, which is located at Dubai Knowledge Village.

The University of Kent
The UK's European University - the University has one of the best locations in the UK and Europe. The University of Kent is described by The Sunday Times University Guide as "Britain's only international university." For 3 years running, National Teaching Fellowships have been awarded to Kent academics in recognition of their outstanding work. Kent was voted one of the Top 10 Universities in the National Student Satisfaction Survey 2007 for overall satisfaction.

King's College London
King's College London is the fourth oldest university in England with more than 13,700 undergraduates and 6,200 graduate students in nine schools of study based at five London campuses. It is a member of the Russell Group: a coalition of the UK's major research-based universities. King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, international relations, medicine, dentistry, nursing and the sciences, and has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe.

University of Leeds
University of Leeds is one of the largest universities in the UK with an extremely wide choice of courses enabling students to tailor their studies. Leeds is placed in the UK's top 10 universities for research and provides a vast range of PhD study opportunities including the new integrated PhD (New Route PhD) which is offered in a number of subject areas. The university's International Foundation Year has seen students from over 65 countries successfully progress on to 106 different undergraduate degree programmes. There are currently over 70 students from the Gulf region studying in the Foundation Year programme.

The University of Manchester
The University of Manchester's origins date back to 1824. 22 Nobel prize-winners have been associated with the University. Employers recognise a degree from The University of Manchester as one of the best in the world, and consistently rate its careers service as the best in the UK. Manchester won the coveted Sunday Times University of the Year in 2006 and received the inaugural Times Higher Education Supplement's Institution of the Year title in 2005. The university currently has 35, 500 students.

Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is ranked number one for graduate employment in England and Wales (HESA, July 2006). 97.7 per cent of graduates are employed or engaged in full time study six months after leaving, largely due to the orientation toward the needs of global industry. NTU is the top 3 university in the UK for the number of students undertaking a year's placement in industry (HESA 2004-05). It is also one of the largest universities in the UK with more than 26,000 students.

Oxford Brookes University
At Oxford Brookes, there is a student community of over 18,727 students. Oxford Brookes continues to do well in the league tables while expanding its range of programmes. Oxford Brookes has extended its commitment to providing flexible and innovative courses to its postgraduate programmes. For the last eight years, Brookes has been named best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide. In 2006 it was awarded the title of 'leading modern university',

University of Southampton
The University is a top 10 UK research university - 24 of the 34 research departments have been given the highest ratings of 5 and 5*. Eight of the 5* departments were recently awarded the 'best 5*' rating. The teaching is highly rated – 22 of the 34 departments have been rated 'excellent' in Teaching Quality Assessments by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. The university is ranked number one in the UK for Electrical and electronic engineering (Times Good University Guide 2005)

Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University is renowned for the quality of its teaching and for its commitment to its students. It offers undergraduate (Bachelors) and postgraduate (Masters) programmes in a range of subjects including business, computing, engineering, design, journalism, law, media and psychology. Many of the courses have scored 'Excellent' ratings in recent independent QAA reports. The most recent Flagship project at the University has been the construction of an £800,000 digital Television Centre. This is a world class teaching resource, one of the best in the sector as well as a landmark facility for the region.

University of Central London
Described by the Sunday Times newspaper as "an intellectual powerhouse with a world-class reputation", UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top three multi-faculty universities in the UK and in the top 25 universities worldwide. UCL is a multi-faculty university with an international reputation for both teaching and research across the academic spectrum. 60 of its 70 departments (85 per cent) have been rated 5/5* for research. 19 of the staff and former students have won the Nobel Prize. UCL pioneered the teaching of a range of subjects at university level and that innovation continues today with UCL at the forefront of the development of new disciplines like biochemical engineering and nanotechnology.

University of Portsmouth
The University of Portsmouth offers an extensive range of foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Many of the courses within each faculty are highly specialised. The University of Portsmouth has recently been awarded two Centres of Excellence in Teaching and Learning. These awards recognise the university's excellent record in supporting students and providing high quality courses. Courses are designed to meet the demands of employers.

University of Sunderland
Sunderland is a modern university, at the heart of a vibrant city in the North East of England and offers an excellent learning environment for overseas students. The university has a national and international reputation for developing programmes that meet the needs of globalisation of industry, commerce, science and the arts. Voted the "top university in England for student experience" by the Times Higher in 2005, it values the diversity of the university and has over 90 nationalities represented in the staff and student body, with a partial scholarship for all international students.

Manchester Business School Worldwide
Manchester Business School (MBS) has brought the Manchester MBA to the region, offering a blend of self study with face to face workshops. MBS Worldwide established its International support centre, at Dubai Knowledge Village in 2006 and more than 200 students from 42 countries across the region are already studying at the centre. Manchester Business School (MBS) is currently ranked 22nd in the world in the Financial Times global rankings, 4th in the UK and 9th in Europe.

The school is one of the very few triple accredited MBA programmes, and Forbes business magazine recently ranked the school 3rd outside the US for return on investment for students. MBSW currently offers three blended learning MBA programmes — MBA for Engineering Business Managers, MBA for Financial Managers and Finance Professionals, and MBS' unique MBA for Construction Executives.