ADEK provides career, varsity guidance at forum
ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) held its 4th Abu Dhabi Counsellors Forum with a renewed focus on international student opportunities. In line with ADEK’S strategic ‘Countries of Expansion’, the event welcomed representatives from 15 embassies in the UAE, fostering international collaborations and opening doors to global prospects for students in the emirate.
The forum delved into the latest trends, resources, and strategies in counselling with participants sharing best practices and insights on the latest university admission requirements and government sponsorship programmes through impacful networking sessions with relevant local authorities, universities, learning educational organisations, and consultancies.
Embassy atendees represented China, Spain, Switzerland, France, the US, Türkey, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, and New Zealand.
The diplomats joined an audience of school principals, vice principals, deans, and academic advisers from over 217 private and Charter Schools as well as career and university guidance counsellors from more than 45 public schools. Together, they explored scholarship opportunities and international pathways available to Abu Dhabi students.
Updates on ADEK’S Career and University (CU) Guidance Policy were also shared, focusing on standardised policies, practices, and career guidance programmes across schools to support students with successful transitions into postsecondary academic and career destinations. They explored new strategies and available resources for career and university guidance, opportunities for professional counsellor development, and awareness of careers aligned with the creative economy, one of the strategic priorities of Abu Dhabi’s economic plan.
With sessions led by esteemed local and international speakers, the forum covered a range of topics, including technological advancements, high school equivalency, scholarship programmes, professional development, college applications and assessments, smart strategies and resources for CU Guidance Counsellors.
The forum also highlighted how students from Abu Dhabi are now actively pursuing majors aligned with human capital demands in the emirate’s priority industries, benefiting from internships with over 130 industry-specific partners.