EDEX 2008 - National Higher Education and Careers EXPO

EDEX 2008 National Higher Education and Careers EXPO will be the largest single nationwide platform connecting Sri Lankan youth with Choices, Options and Opportunities in the post-secondary, graduate and postgraduate fields, technical and vocational training leading to gainful employment.

A vast selection of diverse opportunities showcased at EDEX 2008, will enable a large number of youth who have completed their secondary education to make informed decisions and guide their destinies.

Consisting of two exhibitions, EDEX 2008 – the 5th EXPO in the series is billed to be the largest ever EXPO in the series since its inception. The main event will be held at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike International Exhibition Centre, BMICH, Colombo, on January 18, 19 and 20, 2008.

The secondary event will take place at Queens Hotel, Kandy, on January 22 and 23.

With the vision ‘To Empower Sri Lankan Youth to Be Globally Competitive’ EDEX EXPO is the only twin mega exhibition in Sri Lanka which is held in Colombo and Kandy annually.

Realising the existence of traditional and narrow viewpoints in career pathways, the Royal College Union (RCU) identified the national need of a single platform to provide more broad based higher education and career guidance opportunities for the Sri Lankan youth.

Having conceptualised EDEX to cater to this need, Royal College Union launched the first ever EDEX in 2004, as one of its social responsibility projects. The inaugural event itself was a success beyond the expectations of all stakeholders. Being a strong believer and practitioner of continuous improvement, the EDEX Committee challenged itself to organise a bigger and better event year-on-year, constantly adding layers of value.

EDEX has proved to be the most comprehensive higher education and careers expo in Sri Lanka. EDEX 2007, which was held in January last year, attracted more than 75,000 visitors from the length and the breadth of the country.

With over 250 local and international institutions being represented, EDEX 2007 offered diverse choices, options and opportunities in higher education and careers to all who patronised the event. Organisers expect a visitor turnout of over 100,000 in 2008.

The Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour Relations and Manpower, and Ministry of Vocational and Technical Training have endorsed the event in recognition of the objectives and the close alignment of the vision of EDEX with the government.

Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) will continue to be a strategic partner of this event. For the first time in the EDEX series, the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in Sri Lanka and Information and Communications Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) have joined hands to be the other strategic partners, which amply demonstrate the national as well as international recognition EDEX has achieved over the years.

EDEX 2008 will feature three main pavilions, which include Domestic Education, International Education, and Careers/Recruitment, encompassing various opportunities in post-secondary, diploma, graduate and post-graduate fields.

Spot admissions to over 350 foreign universities and various academic institutions will be facilitated ‘on site.’ These representatives will apprise applicants of procedures for awarding full or partial scholarships. Overseas participants representing universities and higher educational institutes from over 16 countries such as United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Russia, Japan, Bangladesh, India, Thailand, China, Nepal, Switzerland, Cyprus, France, New Zealand, Malaysia and United Arab Emirates who are keen to tap into the largest pool of Sri Lankan students have confirmed participation at EDEX 2008, directly or through their agents.

Arrangements also have been made for foreign missions to be present throughout the exhibition period, to answer any queries that students and parents may have about obtaining student visas and other relevant information.