University Expo Qatar, a two-day exhibition attended by students aged 16 and above who are considering their higher education options, as well as their parents and teachers, has drawn to a “successful close”.
This year’s exhibition saw more than 4,000 people interested in furthering their tertiary education visit the Qatar National Convention Centre to attend the event, the organisers said in a statement yesterday.
Visitors to this year’s exhibition were met by various experts from universities, colleges and business schools offering advice on scholarship programmes, studying abroad and information about postgraduate and undergraduate studies.
Students also got a chance to engage with other students on what to expect in their tertiary education pursuits.
The event was officially inaugurated by HE Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi, the Minister of Education and Higher Education, who was met by media, VIP guests and ambassadors attending the opening of the event.
University Expo Qatar was organised by Informa Tharawat in collaboration with Qatar Chamber, and presented by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
Mohamed al-Obaidly, board member of Informa Tharawat, said: “We are very pleased with the results and attendance of University Expo Qatar 2018. 
“We had a variety of speakers, exhibitors and other academic professionals showcasing the many options available to students about how to further their tertiary education.”
“We look forward to doing it again in 2019,” he added.
This year’s expo saw the participation of 41 regional and international universities, colleges and vocational training centres, a live seminar room, and a lively social area organised by Informa Tharawat.
Over 15 seminars were presented by various speakers, which offered personalised advice and detailed explanations concerning any questions or issues they may have about higher education as well as studying overseas.
Speakers at the seminars included Ali Zainal, Qatar’s Permanent Delegate to Unesco; Melissa Deschamps, regional educational advising co-ordinator (Mena) at Education USA; Rawan Khir, manager (International Education Services) at the British Council; Dr Ameer al-Nemrat, senior lecturer and programme leader at the University of East London; and, Mohamed Salhi, trade commissioner at the Canadian embassy.
“This is the first time my institution is being showcased at University Expo Qatar. It was a great experience, well-organised, and it attracted a lot of students, providing our institution good exposure in the Middle East,” said Eric Lo, senior representative of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. “Internationalisation is one of our key strategic pillars, and it was very good for us to come and meet local and international students studying in Qatar, giving them the opportunity to explore Hong Kong.”
Mohamed al-Salat, enrolment and admissions specialist at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, said: “Our booth attracted a significant number of students, all of them eager to know about our undergraduate, masters, and PhD programmes.
“We liked the fact that students did not hesitate to ask us questions on admissions before proceeding with their applications, and we were honoured to answer all their questions and make the application process easier for them.” 
More than 15 countries were represented at University Expo Qatar, including Cyprus, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the UK and US.
International universities that presented at University Expo Qatar included the Middle East Technical University, the Penn State University, the Swansea University, the Texas A&M University, and the University of Northumbria, to name a few.
Amr, a high school student visiting University Expo Qatar 2018 for the first time, said: “We learnt about all the different universities from around the world, from the US, UK and from Germany, which is great.
“I found people here who also provided information on the specialty I want to follow in my university studies.”
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