GETEX Dubai set to grow by 30 per cent this year

The 18th Gulf Education and Training Exhibition (GETEX) Dubai 2006, the Middle East's leading education fair, is set to grow by 30 per cent over its previous edition, attracting some of the world's leading education providers, reputed manufacturers and suppliers of educational technology, equipment and services besides major players in the region's expanding education sector to the Dubai International Exhibition Centre from April 12 to 14, 2006.

'The growing popularity of GETEX Dubai has placed the event firmly among the world's top ten education exhibitions,' said Anselm Godinho, Managing Director of IC&E, the organisers of the fair. 'For the second consecutive year, GETEX Dubai 2006 will devote a special segment targeting the Middle East's demand for the latest educational technologies and equipment, providing a one-stop-shop for cutting-edge solutions to end-buyers, dealers and importers across the region at the GETEX Technology and Equipment segment,' he added.

'The UAE's considerable achievements in education require continuous investment in updating and creating new educational infrastructure to properly equip graduates for the job market. Many high technology-driven secondary, undergraduate and postgraduate education centres have been established and managements are planning to set up more high-tech, modern schools across the region,'

Godinho pointed out.

'Managements are increasingly realising the benefits of deploying technological solutions as a means of improving the standard of instruction, ensuring higher student participation in the learning process and reducing operational and infrastructure costs. As a result, more investments are being made in technological tools and methods that will enhance education delivery, knowledge management and control processes in their institutions. GETEX Dubai 2006 will provide a unique forum for manufacturers and dealers in education technology and equipment to interact with the region's education providers, professionals and students,' he added.

GETEX Dubai 2006 will also feature a separate segment highlighting the emerging trends and methodologies in the Corporate Training and Human Resource Development sector. 'In the UAE's extremely competitive job market, niche qualifications merit world-class remuneration packages. This has led to a huge demand for MBA and other post graduate courses from individuals seeking to better their career prospects.

'Human resource departments of business organisations too are allocating bigger budgets for customised training programmes for their personnel. This has made the UAE a significant market for international business schools and specialist training organisations promoting their MBA and post graduate programmes among corporate clients,' he said.

Besides these key areas, GETEX Dubai 2006 will fulfil its traditional role as the most comprehensive regional platform showcasing a wider array of diverse, international study options in higher education for students, parents, professionals, the academic fraternity and working persons from the UAE, the GCC states, the Indian subcontinent, Iran and other Middle East countries.

'More than 10,000 pupils graduate each year from the UAE's 3000 odd schools. A vast number of them seek tertiary education. Though local avenues for quality higher education are growing, a high proportion of students still prefer to study in institutions of international repute in countries such as Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Switzerland, the European Union, UK and USA,' Godinho said.

Targeting over one million youth of under 18 years and another two million people aged between 18 and 40, GETEX Dubai 2006 will directly reach about three-quarters of the UAE's five million residents. A separate segment on Special Needs Education is also being introduced for the first time this year. GETEX Dubai 2006 enjoys the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Education. International Conferences & Exhibitions also organises the prestigious Arab Oil and Gas Show (OGS) which caters to the region's flourishing oil, gas and petrochemicals industry.