Education expo in Dubai puts Pakistani universities on global map

DUBAI: Private universities from across Pakistan stepped onto the international education stage at the three-day Global Education and Training Exhibition (GETEX) event in Dubai.

One of them was Lahore’s Superior University, which established a campus in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) just last year.

“I considered many universities, but they do not offer cyber security as a main subject, more as a module,” said 16-year-old Dubai resident Allan George. “But at Superior [University], they do.”

Dubai wants to be the ultimate destination for education, and Pakistanis can benefit

George’s friend, Prasanga Parajuli, was also impressed by the university’s offerings.

“I wanted an MBA course and they told me how much it was and what its requirements are. They offer internships they offer [project] incubation, job help and scholarships as well.”

Superior University has been the flag-bearer for Pakistan in this region, said the university’s academic director, Ayesha Zahid.

“There is a lot of responsibility on us also because we are representing our country,” she said. “We are proud Pakistanis but we are not here only for the Pakistani community. All communities are more than welcome because our curriculum is globally accepted.”

Some of the degrees and courses offered at Superior in RAK are business intelligence, mass communication, accounting and finance, as well as fashion design.

“Currently we are offering programmes which have a skill-based curriculum, different from the other universities who are operating here,” Zahid said. “We have a very unique programme: it is an experiential learning framework where the students study in the university for three years and in the fourth, they will have an opportunity to work in the industry.”

Zahid was wearing two hats at this year’s GETEX. She is also the director of coordination for the Association of Private Sector Universities of Pakistan (APSUP), which has brought together various private universities from across Pakistan to the GETEX stage for the first time.

“The Pakistan pavilion has been set up under the leadership of Professor Dr Chaudhary Abdul Rehman, who is the chairman for the association,” said Zahid, as well as. “His vision is to represent Pakistan at the international borders because India is present everywhere but unfortunately Pakistan is not.”

Universities represented at the pavilion were taking full advantage of the chance to be at GETEX, offering scholarships and on-the-spot admissions.

“We’re giving an opportunity to the Pakistani diaspora to be able to come to Pakistan and for parents to have the confidence to send their children to Peshawar, which is safe,” said Munir Lone, advisor to City University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar. “We have halls of residence, we have all the pastoral care facilities available for them to come and study, achieve their goals and reach their full potential.”

Lone said an emphasis on student employment is what makes City University stand out.

He explained that the university has a department dedicated to helping students with placements, career counselling and job applications.

A wholesome educational experience relies not just on the university but also the city it’s in, and that is one of the many selling points for the University of Sialkot (USKT), according to Rukhshanda Saleem, the university’s international office director.

“One thing which is very pronounced about Sialkot is its industry,” she said, talking to Business Recorder. “Sialkot is the city of entrepreneurs and is famous for surgical, leather, sports, and musical instruments.”

Another claim to Sialkot’s fame is its agricultural strength as well.

“We offer all courses which are a requirement of society,” said Saleem, talking about the slew of degrees and associate degree programmes offered at USKT. The university offers everything from degrees in natural and social sciences, technology, business management, Islamic studies, and communication.

It already has international students but hopes to attract more.

“We have students from Kenya and Palestine and now we are working towards the next horizons. Our slogan is ‘sitaron se aage jahan aur bhi hai’.”

Where recruitment was the main agenda item for most universities, international collaboration was the target for the Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Karachi.

“I think it was a very successful event,” said Nabhan Karim, the institute’s head of marketing and communication. “We got to interact with a lot of different universities, not just from the UAE but again from around the world, from Europe and other countries of Asia.”

Previously, IoBM has had memoranda of understanding with universities in Malaysia, Germany, Italy, South Korea, China, and Russia, he noted.

Students are able to opt for faculty exchange or research exchange and we were able to meet with some of our existing partners, Karim said.

This year they have made headway with Albanian universities that were attending GETEX. IoBM, which has a strong alumni presence in Dubai, operates on the philosophy of experiential learning.

“We’re not just giving students simply an education but we’re grooming them to be entrepreneurs, we’re grooming them to be global citizens,” he said.

Much work laid ahead for George and Parajuli, who were loaded with prospectuses and information about various universities.

“GETEX gives you an opportunity to decide what your future is and where you want to go,” said George, who is currently in grade 12.

Now in its 41st edition, GETEX is the oldest and largest education-focused exhibition in the region, according to a press release. Over the years, it has adapted to the evolving global education landscape, enabling students to make informed decisions about their academic and professional futures.

GETEX 2025 was held from April 30 to May 2 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025