Representatives of participating institutions and Aspirations Education staff members

A Mega Success

'Aspirations 2009 International Education Exhibition' was held for the third consecutive year at the BMICH Banquet Hall on July 11 and 12. With the participation of an overwhelming 1100 students with their parents and friends from diverse social, economic, educational, and geographical backgrounds who were lined up at 26 stalls eager to explore the variety of study opportunities available to them in renowned universities and colleges in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and UK and to discuss their educational aspirations with the knowledgeable representatives of these institutions, 'Aspirations 2009', the only truly international education exhibition in Sri Lanka, was a mega-success!

Students and parents in attendance were very pleased with this well organized exhibition which offered them an excellent opportunity to not only explore the various educational avenues that are available to them in a wide variety of industries, but also to inquire about and compare fees charged, facilities provided, and financial assistance available at each university or college in a variety of destinations. In essence, they were able to get an in-depth knowledge about any field of study and how each study programme would cater to their needs and capabilities, all under one roof! And quite a few focused students qualified to obtain spot offers from some universities as well.

Students agreed that choosing a career is one of the most difficult and stressful decisions they have to make in life; and they understood very well that it is a decision which involves three to four years of their lives, not to mention millions of rupees of hard-earned money, which makes it an investment decision that must be carefully analyzed, and not something they should make in a hurry without proper guidance. They also re-iterated the challenges students face due to the competitive academic environment as well as the constantly changing technological and business environment; and as a result of the multitude of choices and opportunities with which they are faced, it doesn't make selecting the right field of study, right university and the right destination any easy.

Therefore, they emphasized the value of an international exhibition of this magnitude where students can obtain information from the university representatives themselves without having to travel abroad. For them, this experience, in terms of the quality, spontaneous interactive assistance, offered far more than they could have hoped to gain through an online surfing spree of foreign university websites, which is the next best thing to visiting these institutions in person. Some of the students were in fact surprised to find out that they can actually afford studying abroad with the finances available to them if they choose the right pathway to complete an undergraduate or postgraduate programme.

Mr. Ajith Abeysekera, the Chairman of Aspirations Education, said that it is a thorough analysis of the student's academic history and interests prior to applying to a university which could make the difference between the student getting accepted or rejected by a university; and a detailed, yet comprehensive presentation of a student's academic credentials and financial wherewithal is of paramount importance to authenticate the student's profile in obtaining a student visa.

Such careful attention to detail is what makes Aspirations Education unique, both in its attitude and approach to career guidance. Each case is taken separately on its own merits and studied thoroughly to give feasible solutions. The meticulous attention given to each individual case is the secret of success which is seen by the record number of visa approvals it has obtained from the countries concerned, within a nearly 5 year period. Due to their personal dedication and care given to students, Aspirations has earned a tremendous goodwill among students, parents and their university partners during this period.

Aspirations Education represents over 100 universities and institutes in Australia, UK, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, USA, and Canada giving students a wide range of choices from which to select their preferred programme of study, in keeping with their interests, aptitudes and financial standing. With its dedicated and efficient staff, the service Aspirations provides its students is truly invaluable, but remarkably, all services are provided absolutely free of charge!

The interview sessions conducted at Aspirations Auditorium at No. 267/20, Samagi Mawatha, Nawala Road, Nawala on 13th July gave the students another great opportunity to have one on one free consultation with the University representatives who participated in the Aspirations 2009 International Education Exhibition. To participate in such seminars and consulting sessions free of charge in the future, contact the Aspirations Education Head office by calling 2808800, 2808801 or visit www.aspirations.edu.lk.