World Education Fair, held for the first time in Croatia last weekend, brought to Zagreb representatives of elite universities and high schools primarily from Denmark, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Switzerland, who presented their programs to interested parties.
During the two days, around 500 students and slightly fewer schoolchildren circulated the halls of the Westin hotel between about twenty booths and several smaller conference rooms where they could learn firsthand what awaits them if they decide to study abroad.
– We are here to provide all the necessary information about opportunities for young people in the field of learning and improving foreign languages, as well as continuing education at the university, enrolling in undergraduate and graduate programs at universities around the world, studying in the best MBA programs, and postgraduate qualifications – explained the essence of this fair Irina Hristova, director of Integral Education, the company that organized the Croatian World Education Fair.
Great Britain and the Netherlands are at the forefront of Europe in terms of the number of foreign students. What kind of situation awaits Croatian students who decide to go abroad? Unlike the best high schools, the most prestigious universities in Europe are state-owned, and the state covers the costs of education. Universities are generally well connected with local companies and factories, and internships in the Netherlands last 20 hours a week, during which students can earn several hundred euros a week, while they do not have the right to holidays.
The Dutch Seek Smart Students What is the secret that relatively small countries like Denmark and the Netherlands have been the most desirable places for foreign students for years and among the most innovative countries in the world?
– We are not a large country. Without the constant application of new knowledge that we gain from the constant influx of foreign students, we would not succeed, so it is extremely important for us to attract Croatian pupils and students – attempted to answer the eternal question about the secret of success Johannes van der Zwan, owner of the elite boarding school Eeerde, the leading school of its kind in the Netherlands.
As the gap grows in Croatia between state universities based on research work and expensive private schools that offer their students internships and promise a secure place in the labor market, and future students are torn by choices that can determine their lives, there is also a slight rivalry in the Netherlands and Denmark between faculties that deal with research work and so-called ‘applied science’ institutions, which focus on practical work, although in both cases they are state institutions. Everyone praises their own horse for the race.
– It is easier to find a job in the Netherlands if you graduate from a faculty related to research sciences. I can confirm this with an example from my own family – says Vera Schweeps, responsible for foreign activities at Radboud University.
The Danes are Innovators – It is enough to look at the statistics on who finds a job sooner and easier – counters Menno Kramer, a representative from the university in Rotterdam.
– Of course, both types of faculties are important for a country to be economically successful. However, universities that focus on working with students through internships not only provide knowledge but also its application in real conditions. Our networks are spread all over the world – adds Kramer.
Through the Danish higher education system, a country whose population is closest to Croatia, only about twenty Croatian students have passed through in recent years. Denmark, like the Netherlands, is at the top of the world according to all relevant parameters and sources. The key to success lies in innovations.
– We hardly felt the economic crisis. I believe the reason is that we are not afraid of innovations, we accept them and implement them in the shortest possible time. We immediately place students in positions that carry responsibility, and that is how they work best on solving problems – says Torsten Ulsig from the Danish university VIA Faculty of Business.
It is important for the Danes that students remain in the country after graduation, but the problem is the language, Ulsig admits. When talking about Croatian students, Ulsig, like everyone else, mentions their perfect command of the English language as a significant advantage over the rest of Europe.
Young Croatians who visited the fair reveal that they are particularly interested in programs that do not exist or are insufficient in Croatia. They show a particularly great interest in universities that have programs related to the creative sector and media.
– The creative industry and media are at the top of the most lucrative sectors both in Great Britain and worldwide. Our university is state-owned, and we provide education in almost all areas except medicine and architecture. In Great Britain, students can gain many privileges and establish numerous business connections. However, they must show initiative. Our motto is ‘if you want something, you have to seek it’ – explains Christina Pavlaki, a representative of the University of Sunderland.
