EDUKEX 2007 opens in Abu Dhabi

According to the latest figures from the British Council (provided by the UK's Higher Education Statistics Agency), the total number of students from the UAE studying Higher Education in the UK in academic year 2005/6 rose to more than 2,000 - an increase of 15% compared to the previous year; the number rises to well over 3,000 students from the UAE when those studying at Further Education level and on English language courses are taken into consideration.

The figures were announced at the launch of EDUKEX 2007 which in Abu Dhabi on November 17. The British Council's annual UK education
exhibition is supported by more than 50 UK institutions, which will meet prospective students in the UAE.

Speaking at the launch, Alison Devine, Deputy Director of the British Council in the UAE with a remit for Education UK across Middle East, explained:

'The latest figures from HESA show a healthy increase in the number of students from the UAE choosing to study at UK institutions and
follow the strong increase (10%) in UAE student numbers that we saw for academic year 2004/5. The undergraduates are generally in their late teens and early 20s, the majority being male students, whilst the postgraduate students tend to be over 30 years of age, again with a bias towards male students.'

'The UK continues to attract international students from all over the world because of the world class reputation of UK institutions, the high quality programmes, and the widely recognised qualifications and employability of UK graduates, as well as the overall value for money they offer,' added Mrs Devine.

'EDUKEX 2007 brings together a large number of prestigious UK universities and colleges, which offer everything from academic and vocational programmes to summer English language courses and A levels,' said Mrs Devine. 'It is the perfect opportunity for potential students to meet a wide variety of institutions and compare what's on offer - all with the guarantee of quality that comes with selecting the UK as an overseas study destination. In fact, there are more than 11,000 students from the Middle East currently studying Further and Higher Education in the UK, with many more going over for English Language courses, and it continues to be an increasingly popular destination amongst students in the region.'

EDUKEX 2007 is going regional this year, starting on 17th November 2007 in Abu Dhabi, moving on to Dubai, Saudi Arabia (Dammam, Riyadh, Jeddah) and Bahrain before finishing in Kuwait on 5th December 2007. The EDUKEX 2007 series of exhibitions will showcase courses and programmes from more than 50 UK institutions, of which four (King's College London, Manchester Business School Worldwide, Thames Valley University, and the University of East London) are exhibiting at EDUKEX for the first time.