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British Council UAE announces dates of Education UK Exhibition (EDUKEX 2015) in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

“Last year the UK issued around 1500 visas to Emiratis for study,” says UK Visas and Immigration at British Embassy in Abu Dhabi

 

Dubai, UAE, 27 October 2015 – The British Council UAE, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, will host the 14th edition of the Education UK Exhibition 2015 (EDUKEX) at Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi on November 10 and at Dubai World Trade Center, Al Multaqa Ballroom, on November 11 and 12, 2015.

The Abu Dhabi exhibition will feature around 20 universities and will be open between 04:00pm to 09:00pm, while the Dubai event will see participation of around 40 education providers between 05:00pm and 09:00pm over two days. The Gold Sponsor of the 14th edition of EDUKEX is British Council IELTS.

EDUKEX 2015 comes amidst rising interest among UAE students in completing their higher studies in the UK, according to Marc Jessel, Director of the British Council in the UAE. “Over the years, EDUKEX has made UK educational excellence accessible to a wider section of students in the UAE. The popular exhibition is an annual event which targets students from high schools and universities, aspiring to pursue higher education in world renowned UK universities,” added Jessel.

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British Council hosts tour of UK academics to connect with UAE’s booming real estate & construction sectors.

Tour to highlight need for customised university programmes to further professionalise the sector
Dubai, UAE, 24 October 2013: Academics from leading UK universities with expertise in the construction industry will be in Dubai on Saturday (26 October) at British Council office and on Sunday (27 October) at Centro Capital Centre Hotel in Abu Dhabi to highlight graduate and postgraduate programmes for students looking for specialisations in real estate and construction in UK universities.
The visit comes at a time when the UAE real estate market is continuing its steady climb, boosted by increased investor confidence, says Marc Jessel, Country Director, British Council, United Arab Emirates.
“The British Council is organising this tour to enable UK academics from leading UK universities to connect with decision makers from the booming UAE real-estate and construction sectors. The tour will focus building on the existing professionalism in these sectors by offering the region’s students tailored graduate and postgraduate programmes,” he added.
He said: “On the back of dramatic growth of the UAE construction and real estate sectors in recent months, interest in construction-related postgraduate degrees is on the rise. Moreover, the UAE government has identified the construction and real estate industries as two key drivers of diversification of the nation’s economy and, eventually, reducing dependence on the oil and gas sectors.”
Jessel added that the UAE government demonstrates strong commitment and vision to improve education amongst all sectors, including real estate and property.
“Our aim is to introduce the visiting delegates to representatives from scholarship agencies, education agents, educational institutions and potential students with the goal of helping them understand the structure and content of various programmes, opportunities for postgraduate study and career prospects.”
British Council said the tour demonstrates the commitment of the UK education sector to support skills development in the real estate sector in the UAE by developing programmes in direct response to the needs of the UAE construction industry.
“This event will bring together internationally renowned academic experts from the fields of property & construction management, quantity surveying, construction cost management, sustainable construction, construction project management, real estate management & development and facilities management,” Jessel said.
Panel speakers at the event include Professor Joseph H.M. Tah, Head of Department and Professor in Project Management, Oxford Brookes University, Dr Abbas  Elmualim, Associate Professor in Sustainable Built Environment, University of Reading, Professor Tarek Hassan, Professor of Construction Informatics, Loughborough University, Dr Ian Smith, Head of the School of Engineering & the Built Environment, Edinburgh Napier University, and Andrew King, Senior Lecturer, College of Art & Design and Built Environment, Nottingham Trent University.

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English Premier League & British Council Support ‘Premier Skills’ Initiative to Use Football to Develop UAE Youth Skills

Over 1,100 coaches in 20 countries engaged in the Premier Skills programme targeting 500,000 young people
London, United Kingdom, Dubai, UAE, 14 February 2013 – The English Premier League, Bolton Wanderers FC and the British Council today unveiled their support the ‘Premier Skills Community Coaching Initiative’, an innovative programme that will use football as a tool to engage with and develop the skills of young people in the UAE.

The English Premier League’s Premier Skills Programme will be visiting Dubai from March 30 to April 4, 2013, to look at the scenario and challenges in the UAE in using football for education and social inclusion, as well as to explore the scope for a Premier Skills project between the UAE and the UK. 
Between 2010-2013, more than 1,100 coaches are being trained and by the summer of 2013 the target of the Premier Skills programme is to reach more than 500,000 young people through coaches in 20 countries, including the UAE.
In partnership with E-Sports the six-day, full-time Programme, to be held at GEMS World Academy, will offer students aged 16 and above a community coaching award endorsed by and branded under the English Premier League.
Ian Laithwaite – Head of Bolton Wanders Community Trust said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people in the UAE to gain an internationally recognised qualification and also enhance their personal profile with a worldwide football brand.”
Since the first pilot in 2007, Premier Skills has been delivered across 20 countries, including Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Korea, Sudan, Tunisia (including Libyan participants), Uganda and Vietnam.
James Tucker, Director of Education, Bolton Wanderers Football Club said: “This innovative programme we are unveiling today in the UAE uses the ‘football for good’ concept, leveraging the interest in the Premier League to address wider educational and social issues in local communities. This concept is being successfully delivered by Premier League clubs across the UK.”
“The programme is about learning from some of the innovative and successful work being delivered in the UK and applying some of the learning to the UAE,” added Tucker.
Tucker added: “UAE partners will play a crucial role in the Premier Skills programme. Premier Skills looks to work with existing partners, programmes or networks to build on the current work and look to share expertise and training in ‘football for good’. We are looking for UAE partners who have an interest in supporting the concept of Football for Good and community development. These partners will provide access to venues and equipment which can be used during the course. Other roles could be around putting forward participants to attend the course as well as access to networks of community coaches or sports clubs. The important aspect is that partners have the potential to apply and embed the learning from the course within their networks and in local communities.”
Premier Skills will use the global pulling power of football as a tool for the development of wider skills, community development and English Language learning.  It builds upon research that shows there is a high demand worldwide for community coaching and leadership development through sport.


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UAE among top 20 countries that have students studying in UK.

Enrolments expected to grow 45% until 2020: EDUKEX 2012
Lara Khouri of British Council says: ‘This is remarkable considering UAE’s small population compared with counties like India and China’
Dubai, UAE, 19th November 2012: The 13th edition of the annual Education UK Exhibition “EDUKEX 2012”, organised by the British Council, concluded in Dubai with a message that UK remains the top higher education destination for UAE-domiciled students, despite the variety of higher education options available locally and internationally.

The show organizers said that tuition fees have remained unchanged this year for international students and the UAE belongs to the top 20 countries in the world in terms of the number of students enrolled in UK universities.
Lara Khouri, Education UK Marketing Manager, British Council UAE, described this status as remarkable considering the small population size of the UAE, compared to other counties like India and China.
The show attracted a large number of parents and students who visited the three-day event to learn more about the wide range of Foundation Year, Bachelors and Masters courses from representatives of the over 50 UK education providers that participated at the show in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
H.E Dominic Jermey, UK Ambassador to the UAE, inaugurated the exhibition in Abu Dhabi, while H.E Edward Hobart, HM British Consul General in Dubai, opened the show in Dubai.
HE Hobart said: “This show reaffirmed UK’s traditionally leading position as a great place to continue university studies. UAE students are warmly welcomed in the UK as an important part of the community. The UK education system remains highly appealing to parents and students from across the world. This is where shows like EDUKEX play a central part in sustaining this understanding and advocacy.”
HE Hobart added: “The UK has four out of the top six global universities as per a recent study. Another reputable study shows that for the top ten universities worldwide, there are two from the UK. We actually have the best and the largest variety of institutions in the world, not to mention the multicultural education ambience offered in the UK.”
Khouri noted: “Visitors to the exhibition were introduced to a wide range of courses. The professionalism and outstanding presentation skills of the university executives at the booths were impressive, as reflected in the manner of assessing students’ needs and shortlisting programmes.”
A 5 per cent increase in UAE students going to the UK is expected over next year.  A growth rate of 45 per cent is projected until 2020 in numbers. By providing prospective students across the UAE with opportunities to achieve UK qualifications, the British Council is enabling them to return to the UAE and develop both society and economy through their entrepreneurial plans and ideas.
Khouri said: “The British Council’s education initiatives played a key role in promoting the UK education offerings to the students in the UAE, and EDUKEX is no different to this direction. The show raises awareness of the quality of life and study options across the UK education spectrum. It also worked on creating mutual understanding between education providers and students to create a professional bond between both.”
Simon Foster, International Liaison Officer, Aston University: “The UAE is an important market for Aston. Students who visited Edukex were of very high calibre. We came here to promote our courses and we got positive response mainly for chemical and mechanical engineering courses. Other subjects like business management are increasingly becoming more popular among UAE students.”
Jo Sayahi, International Officer University of Brighton: “Edukex gives us access to the UAE market. Business and Engineering majors are high in demand. This is our second participation and we are receiving well-rounded students to study abroad because of the international schools present here. The education system offered to the UAE students is of highest standards.”
Peter Muncey, International Officer & Student Advisor, University of Surrey: “We have received good quality students mainly from Indian schools. We are happy with the way UK universities are being promoted. As a 140 year old institution it is important for us to be part of Edukex. The most popular courses among students here are mechanical engineering, science and computer studies.”
Rolf Jespersen, Senior International Officer, City University London: “We were here to increase exposure in the key UAE market. Most of the courses that students ask about are business, engineering and economics. Most of the students here are well prepared. We have been participating in Edukex for the last 6 years and we are keen to be present in the next edition.”
Stephanie Wood, International Recruitment Officer, University of Bristol: “We were founded 103 years ago and we have around 180 undergraduate courses. Engineering, medicine and law in addition to modern languages are very popular among students. We received a decent number of interested visitors and we look forward to more successful participation in the future.”


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British Council Appoints Virtue PR to Highlight Strengths of UK Higher Education

EDUKEX 2012 the right platform to raise awareness of standards and legacy of UK education, says Virtue
Dubai, UAE, 13th November 2012: The British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, has appointed Virtue PR & Marketing Communications to run a PR programme focused on highlighting the superior levels of UK higher education for the UAE market.

Virtue’s main brief was to drive the PR strategy for the 13th edition of the Education UK Exhibition “EDUKEX”, an annual event that provides UAE students with the opportunity to meet representatives from a large number of UK universities and colleges.
“We were looking for the right PR consultancy to manage this PR programme that would highlight the legacy of the UK education system and update potential students on options for continuing their studies in the UK. Virtue demonstrated the right credentials for the job, mainly through their structured and strategic approach as well as their understanding of our and our audience’s needs,” said Lara Khouri, Middle East & Africa Education UK Marketing Manager, British Council UAE.
Mirvat Naba, Director, Virtue PR & Marketing Communications added: “We are extremely pleased to be appointed by British Council to handle this PR programme. Our strategy is to communicate to stakeholders what UK education system has to offers vis a vis other players. We are a leading PR agency with proven record in managing education clients as well as handling exhibitions and fairs across different specializations.”
At this year’s event from 11th to 13th November 2012 (in Abu Dhabi on first day and in Dubai on second and third day), more than 50 UK universities and specialist colleges have showcased a wide range of bachelors and masters courses, as well as foundation year courses. The UK Border Agency and British Council executives were also present to answer visa-related, English language and IELTS queries.
Khouri added: “There are a few universities in the UAE that offer UK-based degrees. UK universities in Dubai currently hold the highest proportion of postgraduate students and there are more than 50 UK higher and further education qualifications available for study at both Emirati institutions and UK branch campus institutions.”
Naba added: “The British Council’s education initiatives have long been a part of the UAE education landscape. This show supported the British Council high level objectives of highlighting the opportunities presented by UK universities as well as building long-term institutional and individual links between higher education institutions in the UAE and the United Kingdom.”
The show provided a platform at which students considering higher education, whether in the UK or, as yet, undecided locations, have met representatives and learnt more about courses, entry requirements and application procedures. Moreover, it provided both UAE and UK institutions an opportunity to meet potential partners for collaboration.
EDUKEX is part of the British Council’s initiative to enhance cultural and educational relations between the UAE and UK by helping create a knowledge-based economy.
Virtue is a marketing communications agency that is led by credibility, innovation and transparency. The consultancy is committed to providing an integrated communications campaign focused on empowering British Council to achieve its goals. Headquartered in Dubai, Virtue PR & Marketing Communications is one of the Middle East’s fastest growing public relations, marketing and communications agencies.