Realising the importance of upgrading regional educational systems, Gulf Cooperation Council governments have embarked on a continuous large-scale investment in education and the training of manpower, collectively spending an approximate US$ 26 billion on the sector during 2005. This growth has in turn, generated an increasing demand for the latest in specialist technologies, as managements and education providers understand the role of technology in improving the standard of instruction, ensuring higher student participation in the learning process and reducing operational and infrastructure costs.
“Education is emerging as the next sunrise industry in the Middle East. Decision-makers and buyers from the education sector in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and other Middle East countries are keen to invest in education at all school and higher education levels,” said Sunita Quadros, Project Manager, Technology, Equipment, Services and Supply Segment, GETEX Dubai 2006.
Eyeing the vast market for advanced education technologies in the Middle East, the Worlddidac, the global trade association for companies providing products, services and solutions for education and training at all levels, will participate for the first time in the Middle East’s leading education show, the Gulf Education and Training Exhibition (GETEX) Dubai 2006, to be held from April 12 to 14 at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre.
“The continued availability of private and public funds has resulted in over 3000 schools being set up in the UAE alone, which renew and upgrade their infrastructure on a regular basis, throwing up huge demand for the most advanced technologies and educational media. The presence of Worlddidac Association at GETEX Dubai 2006 will make it easy for regional education providers to install and upgrade learning infrastructure,” added Quadros.
The Middle East region is registering increasing investments in technology as governments and education providers seek to establish competitive, high-tech, modern institutions particularly in the area of higher education and corporate training. These technologies largely pertain to study methodologies and content delivery and include products as diverse as software for learning delivery, educational games, process simulation programmes, print and online support materials that have completely revolutionised the way in which a study course is delivered at every stage of learning.
Worlddidac is a non-profit association representing over 300 companies trading in educational technology, laboratory equipment, training tools and solutions across 48 countries. It will showcase its members’ products for the first time at GETEX Dubai 2006, at a 700-square-metre pavilion under the Education Technology, Equipment, Services and Supply segment.
Based in Bern, Switzerland, Worlddidac organises and participates in exhibitions, seminars, in-country missions, market studies, information intelligence gathering and trade shows in Europe, Latin America and Asia, providing its member companies and organisations access to information about world markets thereby increasing their sales and marketing opportunities.
Beat Jost, General Director of Worlddidac Association said, “We have keenly watched GETEX Dubai evolve into the premier education exhibition for the Middle East.. This will provide an ideal forum for our member companies to showcase their products and contribute to enhancing regional education standards. GETEX Dubai 2006 will also allow our members to take a closer look at emerging developments in the Middle East’s education sector and network with other participating exhibitors.”
Founded in 1952 as Eurodidac, the Association’s member companies trade in products and services pertaining to technical and vocational training; information and communication technologies; science and technology; consumables and school materials; printed and published products; furniture/equipment for Kindergarten, pre-school, schools, colleges, training workshops, congress and seminar buildings.
Worlddidac companies also deal in presentation technology; corporate and industrial training; solutions and systems in e-Learning; special courses for physically, mentally, emotionally handicapped persons and programmes for gifted persons; visual, audio and audio-visual media; trainers and training; human resource management; installation and equipment for sports facilities and services for schools; and environment and energy.
Quadros pointed out: “Decision-makers in the local and regional education sector have become more technology-savvy and are willing to invest in top-of-the-line solutions to make their institutions more competitive in the arena of global education. Example of this trend are Taleem’s intention to invest AED 1 billion (US$ 273 million) in over 30 high-calibre schools in the UAE by the year 2010 and the Qatar Foundation’s strategic plan to create an Education City spread across 800 hectares, which will encourage schools in the region to raise their technological standards.
“Worlddidac is a reputed global player in the promotion of education resources and its presence at GETEX Dubai 2006 will help regional college and university educators, corporate executive managements, education marketing consultants and government administrators make informed, cost-effective choices. Its participation as one of the prominent exhibitors at GETEX Dubai 2006, also speaks for the growing stature, scope and popularity this show has achieved over the years,” she added.
Projected to grow by 30 per cent over its previous edition, the 18th GETEX is the largest regional forum for education professionals, providing a complete networking platform for the education industry and thus promoting the development of education through serious investment of financial and creative resources. It targets over three-quarters of the United Arab Emirates’ five million people besides drawing visitors from other GCC states, the Indian Subcontinent, Iran and other Middle East countries.
The Gulf Education and Training Exhibition (GETEX) is the largest education fair in the Middle East region. Organised by International Conferences & Exhibitions (IC&E), GETEX is held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Education and enjoys the support of Dubai Knowledge Village, the region’s biggest ensemble of institutes of higher education, and the British Council in Dubai.
In the 18th successive year of showing, GETEX is providing a forum to educational and training institutes from almost every region of the world. The 17th GETEX, held in April 2005 in Dubai, attracted 438 institutions from 38 countries and an audience of over 27,000 students, parents, teachers and education professionals.
For more information on the Equipment, Technology, Services and Supply segment at GETEX Dubai 2006, please visit www.edu-supply.net . For more information on the Student Recruitment segment at GETEX Dubai 2006, please visit www.mygetex.com
