ASILA AL BADI (ABU DHABI)

Serving as a bridge between students and universities, the 19th edition of Najah Abu Dhabi 2025, the country’s largest higher education fair, concludes Tuesday at ADNEC.

Held in cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the three-day event has brought together more than 100 leading universities from over 20 countries, connecting students with institutions across the globe.

The exhibition serves as a hub for students, parents, and educators to explore both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, scholarships, and study-abroad opportunities.

From interactive booths to live seminars and Q&A sessions, students are able to meet representatives, ask about application requirements, and explore scholarship options — all under one roof.

For many students, the fair offered not only clarity but also inspiration.

Faisal Mohammed Al Raeesi, a student from ADEK Charter Schools who hopes to pursue a career in aviation, described the event as “extremely helpful” in discovering potential universities both in the UAE and abroad.

“It gave me a clearer picture of which universities specialise in aviation, what kind of programmes they offer, and helped me understand what academic areas to focus on to reach my goals,” he said.

Mohamed Rashid Al Zaabi, another student from one of Abu Dhabi’s ADEK Charter Schools, said he attended the exhibition in search of engineering programmes.

“It’s a great opportunity to talk to universities directly and learn what they expect from applicants,” he said. “I also got to know about scholarships I hadn’t heard of before.”

In the same vein, Hamdan Al Hammad from ADNOC Schools said the event was very helpful in identifying his higher education options and learning more about universities.

“The booths don’t just give you brochures, they help you understand which university fits you and what kind of field you could get into based on your interests.”

Meera Almansoori, a recent university graduate, said she attended Najah Abu Dhabi to explore master’s programmes and scholarship opportunities in Canada.

She noted that speaking directly with university representatives helped her see the bigger picture. “It was very informative. They actually explained eligibility requirements, application timelines, and what makes a strong postgraduate candidate.”

The event’s international scope also drew delegations from many countries, including Malaysia.

Tengku Dato’ Sirajuzzaman Tengku Mohamed Ariffin, Ambassador of Malaysia to the UAE, expressed his gratitude for the event.

“Thank you for having this excellent exhibition where Malaysian institutions are able to participate. We now have about four universities offering programmes from undergraduate to postgraduate levels. Anyone interested in studying in Malaysia can visit the Malaysia booth at Najah Abu Dhabi.”