KARACHI: The second and final day of the two-day 21st Dawn Education Expo ended on Sunday at the Pearl Continental Hotel, where a sizable number of students and parents arrived to seek guidance about study options abroad and in Pakistan.

Throughout the day, stalls representing local and international universities remained engaged as visitors explored degree programmes, scholarships and admission options.

Most of the participants described the event as a valuable platform for counselling. Representatives at various stalls were of the view that although the footfall fluctuated, the level of genuine interest by visitors remained strong.

A representative at the stall of the University of Warwick said the number of visitors was slightly lower than expected but the quality was encouraging. “Most of the students who came were serious, well-prepared and genuinely interested in understanding their options,” she told Dawn. “I believe that in events like these, quality matters more than quantity, and in that sense, the expo was successful.”

Students, parents explore local and international study options on second day of event

Saad Hasan from Queen Mary University of London shared a similar view. He said that around 60 per cent of the students who approached their stall were genuinely exploring opportunities abroad. “Those who came with specific questions made the interaction meaningful,” he said.

As the event neared its closing hours on the last day, Zeeshan Uqaily and his son, Muhammad Uqaili, were debating whether to approach a representative from a Russian institute.

The elder Uqaili shared with Dawn that the expo had helped them narrow down their priorities. “We mainly wanted clarity on what options my son will have after his A levels. We found the Irish universities’ stall particularly helpful because their representatives explained programme structures and scholarship routes clearly,” he said.

Some other visitors showed similar sentiment. They were of the view that the expo helped them form a clearer picture of future academic possibilities.

Mubashir and Sadeem, final year students from Muhammad Ali Jinnah University, shared that many stalls were unable to provide specific and practical information. “Most representatives only offered us general details and asked us to visit their offices later,” Mubashir said.

“We wanted to know which universities were offering what programmes and scholarships, especially for Pakistani students, but many couldn’t guide us properly,” Sadeem told Dawn.

But, according to them, the Irish and German stalls were exceptions. “At the Irish booth, different universities had their own representatives, so they explained programmes and scholarships precisely. The German stalls were also good at better guiding us,” Mubashir added.

Despite mixed experiences, however, many visitors described the expo as a worthwhile opportunity to explore global study pathways, gather information and make more informed decisions about their academic futures.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2025