RIYADH/JEDDAH, 27 November 2007 — A group representing 42 UK universities is touring Gulf Cooperation Council countries to promote UK higher education. EDUKEX 2007 began its tour of the region on Nov. 17 in Abu Dhabi before moving on to Dubai and is currently in Saudi Arabia.
EDUKEX 2007 will take place in Jeddah for three days beginning at 4 p.m. today on the British Council premises in the Farsi Center.
“The exhibition is being held in Saudi Arabia for the second time,” said William Patey, British ambassador to the Kingdom. “In the UK there are already around 10,000 students from the region studying at British universities, and we are hoping as a result of this exhibition to encourage more students to join our institutes. The attendance is noticeable.”
Karen Gheraby, director of the British Council for the Eastern Province, said that the first exhibition had proved extremely successful. “The delegates from the universities were very impressed with the quality of applicants,” she said. “Potential students, seeking information for undergraduate and post graduate education were focused and clear about what they wished to do and the event was well attended.”
Gheraby said that representatives from the UK institutions were able to advise on everything from the range of courses and qualifications available at their institutions to program content, the selection procedure, entry requirements and the application process. There were also details of tuition methods, living costs, accommodation options and extra curricular activities. The annual EKUDEX exhibition advisors further offered advice on living in the UK and procedures to obtain visas.
“If potential students wish to, there will be opportunities at the Jeddah event for follow-up private interviews with the university representatives,” she added.
Ambassador Patey said the UK has admitted 500 Saudi students on Saudi state scholarships. “And we are expecting the number to increase to 1000,” he added.
UK qualifications are recognized and sought after by employers worldwide. The independent learning environment of the UK, coupled with its long history of welcoming overseas students, has attracted students from across the world.
Michael Gordon, current director of the British Council in Jeddah, said that the success of EDUKEX had triggered interest among UK universities. “The number attending this year has more than doubled,” he said. “A significant point is that there has been great interest from the Saudi business community in the visit.”
He said that he believed this was a result of the high academic and practical quality of higher education in the UK. “That is definitely an encouraging sign,” he said. “We expect to be very busy over the next couple of days.”
Bahjat Abdul Hadi, educational adviser to the British Council in Saudi Arabia, said that choosing to study overseas was a big decision. “Preparation is key, to ensure that students choose the best course for them, in the right institution, so that they enjoy their time living in the UK,” he said.
A visa officer at the British Embassy in Riyadh who asked that her name not be published agreed and urged students wishing to go to college in the UK to budget their time accordingly. “The time element is very important,” she said.
The ambassador said that obtaining a student visa only takes 24 hours. However this application process requires several documents that can take time to acquire. The documents are: a letter of acceptance to an accredited program in the UK; proof of scholarships and/or proof of income for the duration of the stay in the UK, such as bank statements proving economic self-sufficiency; evidence of previous academic backgrounds (transcripts) that make the student eligible for college study; and the exact starting and ending dates of the program.
Abdul Hadi added that EDUKEX provided an ideal entry point into the process of taking up a university course in the UK and for future and current employers to see the education and training on offer.
It is important to note that Saudis in the UK can no longer switch from a tourist visa to a student visa without returning to Saudi Arabia and obtaining the student visa from there.
