KARACHI: The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan on Saturday showed just who rules the stage when it unveiled its aspiring cast of talent at the ‘USEFP’s Got Talent’ show on the Institute of Business Administration’s (IBA) city campus here to cap off a successful International Education Week.

This year Education USA and USEFP celebrated education week’s 15th anniversary by attracting and promoting some of Pakistan’s up-and-coming talent. Loosely based on the popular reality TV show ‘America’s Got Talent’, organisers of Karachi’s version of ‘USEFP’s Got Talent’ contacted more than 10,000 students to sign up for auditions.

The would-be stars (students aged 16-20) exhibited their stuff in singing, elocution and many other categories. Performers had 90 seconds to showcase their talent with judges selecting the top 30. There were three prizes for the best performance with winners receiving an iPad, Kindle and Liberty Books voucher.

Best of all, the event provided participants with information about international education and study opportunities in the US. While academic records are integral to getting into a US college or university, organisers stressed that extracurricular activities were an important component in those considerations.

The US Department of State and US Department of Education worked together to develop International Education Week to promote international education and exchange opportunities.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2014