This year, the 18th Educatio International Education Expo took place between the 18th and 20th of January in the Hungexpo. The Educatio was created with the aim of providing answers to questions about higher education. Its mission is to bring together the various players: higher education institutions, textbook publishers, language schools, vocational training institutions, both at home and abroad, with the public: students, teachers and parents.
The Expo, which lasts several days, is attended by around 150 exhibitors and more than 43,000 visitors every year. Current students and lecturers from nearly 50 higher education institutions provide key information on training, habits, college accommodation and even the future after studies. 1
The University of Pécs has been present at the exhibition from the very beginning, and every year it has offered a wide range of programmes for visitors. This year was special for us, because the Support Service participated in the event for the first time. We looked forward to the three days with great excitement and anxiety. Excitement? I think it probably doesn't need much explanation... For the first time we showed our faces at this big event. Anxiety? Our original plan was that students with disabilities - regardless of the higher education institution they want to attend - could indicate their intention to attend in the Educatio in advance, and we would help them with personal assistance in the Expo area and with car transport within Budapest. We are eager to gather information about the Expo so that we have the local knowledge and can accompany students smoothly. We also kept designing our stand's image and producing leaflets. Although the big day was fast approaching, not a single student had indicated their intention to attend, and this remained the case until the last minute. When the day of departure arrived, we sat down as a team to talk it through and discuss whether it made sense to go at all. I think it was the hope that drove our decision to go, that we were not going up there for nothing and that we could really help those who were interested.
The first day exceeded all our expectations and our joy did not fade in the following days. It is said that man plans, God does... For us, it would sound like the Support Service plans, Student does. Hearing impaired, visually impaired and mobility impaired students were present in very small numbers. However, what we did not expect was that a lot of students with SNI, BTM, their parents and teachers visited our stand and asked for advice for the future.
We talked to more on the Educatio than we accompanied, but our presence was useful and we were able to add a splash of colour to the diversity of the programmes.
We will be going again next year, so disabled and visually impaired people can expect a personal escort.
- Nikolett Zoboki-Gergely -
1 Source: www.educatioexpo.hu