GEMS Education has announced a strategic partnership with Intelligent Partners, a leading ‘study abroad’ and university advising consultancy in the Middle East.
The partnership will complement existing college and university admissions advisers within the GEMS network.
With the new association, GEMS Education and Intelligent Partners will bring together the best practice from GEMS schools in the UAE and provide more value to the college and university selection process through access to leading international university partnerships and admissions knowhow, according to a press statement.
As a result of this partnership, both GEMS and non-GEMS students will benefit from a wide range of services that will support the four pillars of student counselling: career assessment, ‘study abroad’ options, student standardised assessment as well as financial aid and scholarships.  
The enhanced career assessment services will start in the early years of secondary education. Students will have access to productive one-on-one counselling and focused psychometric testing based on personality type, learning style and leading modes of intelligence, which will enable them to identify their future careers and plan their study path accordingly.  
On the ‘study abroad’ opportunities, services will include the building of relationships with universities worldwide – thereby opening the doors for students to apply with confidence; and complete application processing and support documentation – including references and essays as well as the organisation of travel and visa arrangements. This will be a “comprehensive out of school and into college service”. In addition, as most university applications have to be supplemented by accepted standardised tests such as SAT, TOEFL, ACT, UKCAT, BMAT etc, students will be provided with “learning and testing support of the highest standard”, the statement noted.
Finally, realising the financial implications of studying locally or abroad, this strategic partnership will set up a scholarship and financial aid subsidiary, which will ensure that deserving students are not limited by economic hardships from pursuing their studies in their chosen institution of higher education. GEMS will be supporting students at every stage with assistance at every level to ensure that they can choose the correct university and realise their potential.  
GEMS schools will continue to offer services and counselling as they have done in the past. Now, with a centralised resource, the GEMS team will be able to enhance these offerings.
Dino Varkey, CEO of GEMS Education, said: “We are very excited that this important partnership extends the depth and breadth of the support we are able to offer our GEMS students as they take their next steps in their academic journey.”
Sanjeev Verma, managing director of Intelligent Partners, said: “We are extremely excited about forging this strategic alliance with GEMS Education, which shall take education counselling and advisory services to a new level.”