Gulf News Edufair 2024: Globalisation has transformed the education industry

Globalisation has transformed the educational landscape exposing students to multilingual cultures and international experiences, which in turn prepare them to be a part of a diverse workforce, said panellists during a session on the last day of the October edition of Gulf News Edufair.

Pointing to Tetr College of Business’ Bachelor in Management and Technology programme that takes students across seven countries, from Dubai to India to Singapore to Ghana and so on, Assistant Professor of Economics Garima Chaklader said this mobility was only possible because of globalisation. “That’s just one college,” she added. “As an academician, my research, collaborations and projects are also based around the world, from Turkey to Australia to the Middle East, and that wouldn't have been possible without the added benefits and advantages of globalisation.”

Greta Carlson, Senior Recruitment Manager at INTO Global, cited her own experiences as an international student in China and other countries in shaping her outlook. “It gave me a lot more insight on doing business with people from around the world, and one thing that I've learned being a professional is that sometimes it's not the qualifications that you have, but how you can sell yourself, how you can pitch yourself to a potential employer that matters,” she explained. “And being more globalised, having experience in different countries, being with different people is going to make you a well-rounded individual. It's going to make you more empathetic, and that is the single most valuable thing that you can be when you're speaking with different people.”

Despite the rise of online education in recent times, face-to-face education retain its appeal due to its role in personal development and networking opportunities, said panellists.

“An education isn't just about a piece of paper; it's not just about the qualification you get,” said Diane Weston, Senior International Officer at University of Kent. “It's everything that you learn and experience around that. When you come to a UK university, which is a very international environment, you will learn about cultural awareness, interacting with other cultures, making friends with students from all over the world. So the networking opportunities for future career is invaluable.”