UK education fair begins Jan 23

A three-day 'Education@UK Fair 2003' organised by the British Council (BC) begins in the city on January 23. Education Minister Dr. Osman Farruk will inaugurate the fair at the Winter Garden of Dhaka Sheraton Hotel at 10:30am.

A total of 18 educational institutions of the UK are likely to take part in the fair. The immigration section of the British High Commission in Dhaka will also participate in the fair for the first time, the organisers said.

"The purpose of the fair is to provide an opportunity for prospective students and their parents, teachers, personnel and training managers to talk directly to the representatives of the institutions," said BC Director Carl Reuter at a press conference yesterday.

He also said that the BC is going to arrange distance learning facilities for the students in Bangladesh through video conferencing and the process would start as soon as Bangladesh is connected with the submarine cable.

First Secretary of the British High Commission Michael John Holloway said 7,300 students from Bangladesh in the last two years have applied to go the UK to study and 50 per cent of them got visa.

Entry Clearance Officer of the British High Commission Julie Flannagan and Education Promotion and Marketing Manager of the British Council Ripa Walie also spoke.

The fair will remain open from 12 noon to 8.00pm on January 23, from 10.00am to 8.00pm on January 24 and from 10.00am to 6.00pm on January 25.

Canterbury Christ Church University College, University of Central England in Birmingham, David Game College, University of Glasgow, University of Greenwich, University of Huddersfield, University of Hull, Leeds Metropolitan University, Liverpool John Moores University, University of London External Programme, University of Luton, Middlesex University, London Metropolitan University, Richmond, The American International University in London, University of Sunderland, University of Warwick, University of Wales College, Newport and Writtle College will take part in the fair.