Over 9000 Indian students virtually attend European education fair

The fifth edition of the European Higher Education Virtual Fair (EHEVF) India 2020, held online from November 25 to 27, saw the participation of over 9,000 Indian students in a host of interactive webinars with 80 prestigious European universities. The students received insight about the opportunities of pursuing higher education for the upcoming 2021 academic session in European Union member states.

The fair hosted representatives from Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. 

The webinars focused on topics such as IT and engineering, business and management, natural sciences, liberal arts and social sciences. Besides this, the universities also clarified all doubts regarding visas, scholarships, applications and job opportunities.

With such a wide platter of options, it is not surprising that the number of Indian students in EU member states has increased in the last few years, and the fair has also seen a proportional growth in participation from European countries. 

HE Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the EU to India, highlighted the importance of international mobility of students and researchers, and said that education is a cornerstone for the achievement of sustainable development goals. He added that the wealth and welfare of nations depends on the quality of higher education.

M. Adrian Veale of the European Commission, Brussels, alleviated the concerns of students over the current Erasmus+ scholarship ending in December 2020, by declaring that a new scholarship programme will be launched for the next seven years by the EU, and the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship will also be extended to Indian students. 

The alumni also spoke about opportunities available under the Erasmus+ programme, and guided students on building a research career under the EU Research and Innovation Programme.

Dr Surbhi Singh from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, applauded the fair for creating awareness regarding global opportunities available for Indian students. Students were also acquainted with MADAD, a portal launched by MEA primarily to help those aspiring to study abroad, and address their grievances.