The two-day International Education Expo 2010 concluded here Monday with hundreds of students continuously visiting the stalls of foreign universities to evaluate the available options for admissions. The representatives of prominent universities remained present not only to provide basic information about their respective institutions but also to award on-the-spot admissions after the evaluation of academic records and brief interviews in various disciplines ranging from engineering, health sciences and journalism to law, criminology and criminal justice.

The universities that participated in the event included Australian National University, Murdoch University, University of New Castle, Deakin University, Swinburne University of Technology, Central Queensland University, University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong (Dubai), La Trobe University, Griffith University, Kangan Institute, NMIT, Holmesglen Institute of TAFE, TAFE NSW, and Melbourne Institute of Technology.

High Commissioner of Australia Tim George in his message said his country takes seriously its reputation as a safe destination for international students seeking high quality education. “Personal care and student support are also an important part of Australia’s education system. Australian institutions are sensitive to religious and cultural needs, and provide a range of support and monitoring services to ensure that students settle into their new environment.” Tim George said there are currently more than 5,000 Pakistani students studying in Australia, adding, “I trust that this community will continue to grow.”

The students were also briefed about the Australian Development Scholarships Programmes for which they could apply till the 7th of this month. Managing Director HR International Hamid Rauf in his comments said this is the right time for Masters, Bachelors, A/O levels and intermediate students to apply for study in Australia. “We brought a great opportunity for students, as there was no application or consultancy fee, and every one was encouraged to submit an application to secure admissions for Jul/Sept/Feb intake,” he said.

Neelum Khan, a student, said these universities are offering coursers in both vocational and higher education sectors, and qualification ranging from certificates, Bachelors and Masters to PhDs allow students to suit their individual interests and career aspirations. She said the presence of representatives of foreign universities made it easier for students to directly interact with them and ask questions that generally create confusion in their minds.