News and Opportunities
Inaugural education fair attracts large crowd
23 Nov 2012
Austrade’s first education fair in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, has attracted double the number of expected visitors. More than 1500 Mongolians attended the fair on 1–2 November, gathering information from eight participating Australian education providers, covering higher education, vocational education (VET), English language and high school programs.
The first day saw Australian providers presenting their training capabilities to over 40 Mongolian and foreign companies. Over 100 people attended the presentations, followed by a networking function after the main event.
Day two comprised a traditional education exhibition for students and parents, attracting over 1400 potential Mongolian students and their families keen to investigate education opportunities in Australia.
According to all participating education providers, the event was a great success and has greatly encouraged institutions with future planning, including participation in next year’s event.
A concurrent ‘Study in Australia’ seminar organised by Austrade provided a general overview of the Australian education system, visa applications, scholarships and information about living in Australia.
The majority of questions from prospective students and their families centred on Australian Government scholarships and visa applications.
Attendees expressed interest in all level of studies. Students were keen for a diverse range of information and there was standing room only for almost all seminars presented on the day. As expected with emerging markets, scholarship availability was a common question, and there was a booth for Australia Awards information.
The opening of the Mongolian market to the rest of the world has provided many opportunities for Mongolians to study abroad and obtain a western education. The number of students studying abroad has increased significantly in recent years, and Australia is gaining in popularity as an English-speaking destination. Australia’s attractions include its quality education system and lifestyle advantages.
According to the Mongolian Ministry of Education and Science, statistics as at June 2012 rank Australia fourth as a preferred study destination for Mongolia students. The top three countries chosen by Mongolian students for overseas education were USA, UK and Russia.
Austrade will continue to increase the awareness of Australian education through various education campaign activities. The 2013 Australia Future Unlimited Education Fair Mongolia is currently scheduled for mid-October 2013. Austrade welcomes participation by Australian education institutions from all sectors.
For more information, contact Ms Solongo Dashdendev, Business Development Manager, Austrade Ulaanbaatar, or Ms Eliza Chui, Education Commissioner, Austrade Shanghai.
Prospective students at the inaugural Future Unlimited Education Fair in Mongolia.