Higher education development to be boosted by Education UK Exhibition 2011

By Cassandra Mascarenhas

High expectations have been set for the 18th consecutive Education UK Exhibition, the largest British Education exhibition of this kind in Sri Lanka which will be held in February 2011.

Organised by the British Council, Colombo, the exhibition will feature around 70 educational institutions, over 60 of which will be UK universities, represented by correspondents who will come down to Sri Lanka for this event specifically. It will kick off in Colombo on 19 and 20 February at the BMICH and then shift to Kandy on 22 February where it will be held at the Kandy City Centre.

The exhibition will be officially declared open by the Minister of Higher Education S.B. Dissanayake, who has extended his fullest support to this endeavour as it is synonymous with the Government’s vision to build up Sri Lanka as an education hub in Asia.

“While developing our existing higher education system, we have taken steps to invite leading universities from the UK, US, Australia, India and many other countries to set up universities in Sri Lanka. With these new opportunities, our students will have an increased number of seats and a wider selection of higher education options. Furthermore, this will also attract students from other countries in the region, bringing foreign revenue to Sri Lanka. We warmly welcome the universities who will be present at the Education UK Exhibition 2011 organised by British Council,” the Minister said in a statement.

Country Director of the British Council, Tony Reilly waved away concerns expressed over the divide between state and private institutions. He explained that the Government has identified the structural problem present in the state higher education system at the moment and private institutions coming into the country will just provide students with further opportunities and greater choice when it comes to their education.

“The British Council has been at the forefront of building international opportunities and trust between the UK and Sri Lanka and now looks forward to building the next generation of mutual ties between Sri Lanka and the UK. Sri Lanka is a victim of its own success and the insufficient resources in the state sector has resulted in a demand for higher education outstripping the current supply,” Reilly added.

In the previous year alone, 121,000 students passed the A-Level examinations; but with only 22,300 seats available in state universities annually, it results in a shortfall of over 98,000 students. This results in many looking for opportunities outside the country; the UK remains the preferred study destination amongst Sri Lankan students with over 8,000 leaving the country for the UK.

The Education UK Exhibition in turn will allow both prospective students and parents to directly interact with UK institutions to discuss their study options and choose from the wide range of options available. The exhibition will also feature a change from the usual exhibition stall format and showcase a transitional education zone in fields such as electronic engineering, aeronautical engineering and fashion and design. Further additions will include mock MBA classes for those interested in postgraduate studies and a range of seminars on various topics such as student visas, scholarships, living and studying in the UK, etc.

“Education and training remains a key driver for economic prosperity. The UK offers the best educational qualifications and courses in the world and this is a time when education and training between Sri Lanka and the UK has never been stronger. Education is the busiest sector for us and there is massive interest in Sri Lanka from the UK,” stated the Head of UK Trade and Investment of the British High Commission, Janet Ford. She went on to say that campuses have also expressed great interest in setting up a presence here in Sri Lanka.

Those interested in attending the exhibition are advised to register for the event online on the event website which also offers comprehensive information about the exhibition and the participating UK institutions. By registering for the exhibition online, those interested in visiting can also win prizes and obtain a free pass to attend the event and to reserve places for the limited entry free subject seminars that will be conducted at the exhibition.