As the world goes through an unforeseen and unprecedented change this year, it is now all the more evident that there is a need to make our lives future-proof. One guaranteed way of ensuring this is through higher education. 

The European Delegation to the Philippines, together with the EU member-states embassies and cultural offices, inaugurated this year’s European Higher Education Fair (EHEF)  on Friday, October 2 via www.ehefphilippines.com and the EU Delegation Facebook Page at 1:30pm.

The Fair will open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdaty, October 3.

Thomas Wiersing, Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the EU Delegation to the Philippines, said that EHEF 2020 is a milestone event because “this is the first-ever virtual staging of the much-awaited showcase for Filipino students who dream of pursuing higher education in the EU.”

Mr. Wiersing was joined by officials from the Commission on Higher Education as well as ambassadors and counsellors from the EU member states’ embassies and cultural institutes. 

Rizal Technological University’s Choir RTU Himig with conductor Mr Ranier Aguilar rendered the Philippine and the EU anthems during the opening ceremony.

Youth achievers who graduated from European universities who are dubbed goodwill ambassadors  as well as alumni of the EU’s Erasmus+ and Marie Curie programmes  will be available to share their experience with students and academicians during the two-day EHEF. 

This year’s theme, “Study in Europe: The Future is EUrs,” further reinforces EU’s distinction as a center of excellence in higher education by highlighting its successful efforts to be one of the early adopters of digital innovations in education through online and blended learning. 

#VirtualEHEF2020PH is also the biggest edition thus far with 93 participating European higher education institutions (EHEIs) from Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Netherlands, Austria, Slovak Republic, Finland and Sweden.

With EHEF 2020 going digital, Filipino students and educators outside Metro Manila can now register and participate in various programs of the fair.

There will be webinars on research, scholarship, and mobility opportunities for students as well as country presentations and live chats with HEI representatives, alumni, and scholars. Another added feature this year is the virtual meeting rooms for Philippine higher education institutions (PHEIs) and their EU counterparts for linkages and collaboration opportunities. 

Going virtual has also enabled EHEF 2020 to go regional for the first time, and in real-time.

Regional partner institutions Ateneo de Manila University (Manila), Wesleyan University (Luzon), Silliman University (Visayas), and Xavier University –Ateneo de Cagayan (Mindanao) will be co-hosting clustered presentations for interested students and educators alike.

The EU Delegation has also collaborated with the following university partners: Mabalacat City College, De La Salle University, Mindanao State University, Tarlac Agricultural University, Saint Louis University, Notre Dame College of Tacurong, Ateneo de Davao University, Rizal Technological University, University of the Cordilleras and Cebu Technological University 

EHEF 2020 is organized by the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, together with EU Member States’ Embassies in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and supported by media partners Business Mirror – Envoys & Expats, Business World Spark Up, Gadgets Magazine, Roots & Wings Online, Sub Selfie, The Philippine Business and News, and When in Manila.

Press Release