JEDDAH, 14 March 2005 — More than 9,000 students, parents and professionals attended an international education exhibit and symposium last week and learned that the world — including the United States — is rolling out the welcome mat for Saudis to study abroad.
The 11th Middle East Education and Training Exhibition and Symposium brought together university recruiters and officials from the foreign services of nations around the world to answer questions both about their schools and the visa processes required for students wishing to attend.
“I’ve been telling local students that visa applications for them have been eased,” said Professor Peter Grothe, director of International Student Program at the US-based Monterey Institute of International Studies. “I’ve learned from the consular officials that visas for Saudi students now take about two weeks, compared to two months before.”
Students and parents visiting the booths of institutions from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and France inquired about the time taken for issuing visas, in addition to the English language, higher diploma and degree courses offered in various disciplines.
Canada takes six weeks to process a visa in Riyadh, while the United Kingdom has a system of issuing visas the same day. The Swiss issue visas within 24 hours, Germany from three to four weeks and Malaysia from three to six weeks, according to officials staffing the exhibition.
“France takes two weeks to issue a visa. The time taken is like all other Schengen member countries who need to share and exchange information in processing a visa,” said Marc Duval, cultural attache of the French Consulate General.
Students also inquired about learning languages other than English and wanted to know if it was necessary to learn German and French to study in those countries.
“The knowledge of the German language is of course needed for higher learning in Germany, as all technical books and research papers are in German,” said Dr. Wolfgang Spyra, a professor of chemical engineering and hazardous waste at Germany’s Cottbus-based Brandenburg University of Technology. “For instance, how could a student taking an advanced course in social science study in Germany without knowing German, as everything concerning social and cultural life of the country is available in German?”
Even schools from the Indian Subcontinent got into the act. Representatives from two of the Indian participants — Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and Bangalore-based Indus International School — said the event had been a “rewarding experience, with many local students showing interest in their programs. Before Sept. 11, 2001, thousands of students traveled abroad each year, learning about other cultures while developing important skills to move development of the Kingdom forward. Although numbers diminished in recent years, many students and parents still are at least considering studies abroad.
“Going by its Kingdomwide demand, we have planned a road show of this event in all major cities, including Riyadh and Dammam,” said Zahoor Siddique of Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions, which organizes the annual event. Despite advances in Internet technology, which open the door for “distance learning,” educators said going the distance still had its advantages.
