Tens of thousands of students looking to pursue higher studies will converge on Sharjah as the region’s most popular higher education fair is set to be held at Expo Centre Sharjah from January 22 to 24, 2020.

The 16th International Education Show 2020 (IES 2020) will see bigger participation of educational institutions, launch of one of the biggest higher education and career guidance events of India, besides hosting The Education Growth Summit (TEGS) and EDUTECH a platform to showcase latest innovations in smart education technology.

The exhibition will feature nearly 120 educational institutions from 20 countries including universities from the US, the UK, Poland, Switzerland, Malaysia, Jordon, Lebanon, India and Cyprus.

“In recent years, the International Education Show has seen the biggest expansion in terms of value additions, exhibitor and visitor turnout growth. It is now the most comprehensive event of its kind that continuously focuses on improving student experience, besides offering a dynamic industry platform all the stakeholders. The aspirations of students are growing and we are in the forefront of keeping pace with their demands and requirements,” said H.E. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah.

For the first time, the International Education Show will be hosting one of the biggest higher education and career guidance events of India — Career Utsav. Career Utsav, organised by Bangalore-based K2 Learning, will present more than 50 Indian universities, colleges and other educational institutions and boarding schools.

Career Utsav will target the large Indian population in the country and the region, besides those from the subcontinent and others intending to pursue their higher studies in one of the fastest growing major economies in the world.

The IES 2020 will also host the second edition of The Education Growth Summit, which will see the participation of government policy makers, directors, department heads and faculty members of several key institutions, and industry executives. The summit will be held in association with K2 Learning.

The First edition of Edu-Tech, a special platform that will bring together some of top companies operating in the educational technology sector, will also be held alongside the IES 2020. Edu-Tech will showcase the latest in smart education technology and resources.

“For students, the IES 2020 will be the only place to meet scores of higher education experts from across the world at a single place, and gain insights into study programmes, fees and visa regulations. For the stakeholders of the industry, it will be an event that will better help them understand demand dynamics, open new business channels and attract investor attention,” added Mr Sultan Shattaf, Director, Sales and Marketing, Expo Centre Sharjah.

The phenomenal growth of IES can be attributed to the continuous expansion of the education sector in the country due to strong government support, increase in use of ICT, rising student population, establishment of new schools, and rising number of students opting for higher education, among others.

The show will feature a wide range of under-graduate, post-graduate and vocational courses, recruitment advisors from leading national and international universities, psychometric assessments, career counselling sessions, workshops and scholarship and internship opportunities.

Visitors can expect to listen to Indian author, ex-banker and IIT-IIM Alumnus Chetan Bhagat as Keynote Speaker, who will be holding an exclusive session for parents on Friday, 24th January at 4 pm

Organized by Expo Centre Sharjah in association with the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the IES 2020 is supported the UAE Ministry of Education and Sharjah Private Education Authority.

The show is open to students, parents and general public from 9 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to 9 pm on Wednesday and Thursday, while the timings of Friday will be from 3 pm to 9 pm. Entry and parking are free.