GEMS Education And University Partners Successfully Host Inaugural UniConnect EdEx 2018

More than 600 students and parents attended the inaugural GEMS Education UniConnect EdEx event held on 2 June at GEMS Wellington Academy, Al Khail. The event provided both GEMS Education and non-GEMS Education students and their families the opportunity to meet with representatives from 34 world-class post-secondary institutions that are part of UniConnect. GEMS Education launched the UniConnect programme in 2017 with the goal of providing scholarships and financial aid to GEMS Education students seeking admission at universities within the region and across the globe.

Christophe Savard, Vice President – Career and Future Employment Architect at GEMS Education, commented: “The success of UniConnect EdEx 2018 is reflected in the tremendous attendance and interest we’ve seen from students across not just the GEMS network, but also further afield. Our goal is to support young adults through their entire education journey, helping them in their transition from secondary to tertiary education and beyond, providing them with scholarships, greater accessibility and increased opportunity, and ensuring they are best placed to fulfil their potential and succeed in every aspect of their lives. We are grateful to all our partners for their input and participation, and as the UniConnect programme continues to grow and gather momentum, we look forward to hosting similar events on a larger scale in the future.”

Also present were 30 GEMS Education college and career counsellors, who were on hand to provide guidance and assistance on all matters relating to higher education and future employment. In addition, the event programme included 12 half-hour breakout presentations, panel discussions and workshops covering key topics relating to post-secondary education. These were led by GEMS Education moderators with input from expert speakers from the UniConnect universities and institutions involved in the event.

Each session included a Q&A element, allowing panellists and presenters to address students and parents’ questions and concerns. Topics covered practical considerations such as which universities to apply to and when to begin the university planning process; more academic deliberations including which curricula to choose and which subjects to study; as well as broader areas like summer enrichment programmes and future employment opportunities.

In addition, as part of the GEMS Scholarships programme that recognises outstanding achievement and promise in both existing and new GEMS Education students, a special ceremony was held during the event to award scholarships to four remarkable students. Sisters and exceptionally talented triathletes Juliette Janne d’Othee and Thea Janne d’Othee, in Grades 9 and 7 respectively, were both awarded sports scholarships to GEMS World Academy covering 30% of tuition fees. Arnav Kedia, in Grade 7, was awarded a 20% scholarship to the same school in recognition of his academic excellence, while Sadhna Venkatesh, who has won multiple awards and appeared in a number of films, was awarded a 50% performance arts scholarship to GEMS Our Own Indian School.

The scholarships were awarded by Brendan Law, Vice President – British Cluster Lead at GEMS Education, who said: “GEMS Education has always offered merit-based scholarships to students. For the 2018/19 academic year, GEMS launched the largest scholarship opportunity in the UAE, intended to encourage and reward excellence. Students are recognised for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities. I am thrilled to be awarding the first of many more scholarships to come to these outstanding students from our GEMS schools.”

For more information on UniConnect, visit www.gemseducation.com/gems-families/gems-uniconnect/.