DUBAI: Najah University Expo is once again setting the bar as one of the largest higher education fairs in the MENA region, with an impressive 24,000 visitors at its 2022 Abu Dhabi and Dubai runs.
Supported by the Ministry of Education in the UAE as a platform to help students prepare for their higher education journey, Najah’s resounding success has prompted the announcement of this year’s events, taking place from October 8 to 10, 2023 in Dubai and from October 29 to 31, 2023 in Abu Dhabi.
For the past 16 years, Najah has developed its reputation as the definitive destination for providing students with essential resources and insights on admissions, scholarship opportunities, studying abroad possibilities, alumni experiences, and more. This was evidenced by the extraordinary turnout for the Najah University Expo 2022, which saw 197 percent and 176 percent increases in attendance in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, respectively.
School visits also skyrocketed in 2022 with an increase of 470 percent for Najah Dubai and 607 percent for Najah Abu Dhabi — a clear indication of the event’s importance in the UAE education sector.
Of the 150+ exhibitors from 20 countries, an overwhelming 97 percent said they were satisfied with visitor numbers and 92 percent said that Najah is important for their business. It’s no surprise that a huge majority — 89 percent from Najah Abu Dhabi and 85 percent from Najah Dubai — are likely to return for the 2023 edition, firmly establishing this expo as a must-attend higher education event in the MENA region.
Najah’s 2022 exhibitor line-up included universities from the UAE, UK, Canada, USA, Germany, Spain, France, Hungary, Cyprus, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia among others. A packed itinerary of talks designed to explore the higher education experience in more detail was also held at the Success Hub, with over 60 seminar sessions held across both events.
Students and parents alike who attended Najah Abu Dhabi and Najah Dubai shared how the expo exceeded their expectations when it came to supporting their decision-making process in choosing the right university for their higher education.
“I had a really great time at Najah Abu Dhabi as I was able to find out about many universities from all over the world. I asked questions and received answers to all of them. It has helped me gain a deeper understanding of university life, requirements, and fees/scholarships. I do recommend everyone to visit at some point during high school as it would really benefit you with your future,” said Mohammad Imam, a student at Al Nahda National Schools for Boys who attended Najah Abu Dhabi 2022.
“Najah is doing a great job by getting so many universities from different countries on a common platform. It helps to share a lot of good information in a single place,” said Tuhindra Verma, a parent visiting Najah Dubai 2022.
“I would highly recommend this event as guidance for parents, teachers, counsellors, and students. As a teacher and a parent, it facilitated me to find a relevant university for my child. I was able to talk to my year 12 students about what subject they can opt for their majors at either a university in UAE or abroad,” said Ayaz Naima, a teacher from Emirates National School who attended Najah Abu Dhabi 2022.
Exhibitors, on the other hand, agree that Najah has become an essential part of their marketing strategy, allowing them to engage with students on a more personal level.
“Najah has always been an exciting and beneficial event for us universities. We get a massive opportunity to meet most of the schools all in one go, which is marvellous. Communicating and building further relations with the schools and their senior students is easier for us here along with intensifying our brand awareness. Looking forward to more of Najah next year!” said Laila Idris, an exhibitor from Zayed University.
Eva Lample Marcos, an exhibitor from SEPEI Spain, had nothing but praise for the Najah expo. “It was an excellent fair and very well organised. The staff were always on hand to help. Najah definitely exceeded our expectations as we made a lot of leads,” she said.
Rodaina Rizk of 51 Campus in Egypt said that the Najah staff has a huge impact on why they are looking to participate again. “The staff is amazing,” she said. “They are friendly, helpful and ready to assist with anything you might need. We were also impressed by the number and quality of the attendees.”
