International study fairs are the current rage in Mumbai and across India, for the opportunities they bring to thousands of students who plan on studying abroad. Mumbai and other metros have been host to a series of international study fairs in the last five months and the tempo is energetic, almost in retaliation to the time lost during Covid-19. While students have been known to visit these fairs to plan the most crucial years of their lives, international universities make a beeline for the fairs since Indian students add most to their coffers and such events are the perfect place for the two to meet.
The Free Press Journal visited quite a few fairs in the last few months and was amazed to see the enthusiasm all around. Most flaunted large numbers of students and university officials — both trying to extract information from each other. Students, in general, said that much of the information about the college is already available online but the fair makes it easier to know the people behind them. “By speaking to representatives we get a sense of the kind of people who work at the university. The vibes make a difference,” said one student. Another said that she had started talks with a particular college in the US but visited fairs to make sure her choice was right and to simply look at other options.
Joyce Isaac, an education consultant who runs Providence Education Advisory, said that international study fairs are often the one-stop shops for students who want to get information about funding, scholarships and documents in a more direct manner. “Consultants are heavily involved with study fairs as often they are conducted under their banner. The resources of both the universities and consultants are pooled together to make these events happen,” Isaac said and added that study fairs are conducted by different organisations usually once or twice a year depending on the admission dates and schedules that follow.
The International Education Fair conducted at St Regis in Mumbai in November 2021, is one such example wherein students thronged the hall in hundreds to choose which university suited them best. “India is the leading market in terms of education abroad. We do get quality students from here,” said Azan Shaikh, a representative of the Norwich University of Arts, at the fair when the Free Press Journal asked him about the importance of conducting fairs in the city all year round. Apart from the usual US, UK, Australia, and Canada, countries such as UAE, Romania, Ireland, and France were also represented. Students interested in unique courses such as Agriculture, and Veterinary Medicine also found their interests being encouraged through universities such as Banat University of Agriculture Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Timisoara, Romania.
The diversity of universities represented in the fair conducted at St Regis was also seen at a Study USA Seminar in March 2022. The Netherlands, which has thousands of international students coming in every year, was represented at the fair through the Tio University of Applied Sciences. When FPJ spoke to Lotte Van Rijen, an International Relations official at Tio University, she mentioned how, post-pandemic, the potential of Indian and Asian students has grown ten-fold in the market. “We hope to make the Netherlands a huge recipient of Indian students in the next few years, which is why it's important to have more such fairs,” Lotte Van Rijen said.
For an official from Full Sail University, the fair gives him a chance to understand the trends in India with regard to international education as aspirants discuss their plans as well as queries.
Since the year is just entering its fourth month, there are many more fairs to come in the form of sessions, webinars, and more. A Global Education Fair in May 2022 will allow students to study MBA without any work experience, while also giving them a chance to meet university delegates; Crimson Education taking it one step ahead is conducting a free webinar on April 23 with a showdown between US and UK universities; Canam Consultants is conducting its 29th Admissions workshop from April 15 to 23 for students aspiring to study in Canadian Universities.
With busy months ahead, it would be interesting to see how students and universities will make the best use of the opportunities ahead as the environment has become more competitive.
