International Education Fair 2009

U.S. Consul for Public Affairs Frederick Kaplan, left, and President of the Association of Accredited Advisors on Overseas Education Dr. C.B. Paul Chellakumar, center, visit the booth of the New York Film Academy. (Photo: Dinakaran)

May 25: “Students today are coming of age at a time when national boundaries have become less of a factor in our economic and personal lives.  To be educated today students must have an understanding of the wider world, speak more than one language, and be comfortable with people from other countries and other cultures.  This was the main message of Consul for Public Affairs Frederick Kaplan, speaking at the inauguration of the International Education Fair 2009 at the Hotel Park Sheraton, Chennai, on May 25, 2009.  The two-day fair, sponsored by the Association of Accredited Advisors on Overseas Education, featured colleges and universities from several countries around the world, including American institutions like Hawaii Pacific University, Southern New Hampshire University and the New York Film Academy. Mr. Kaplan said in his speech:  The American system of education encourages students to ask questions and challenge the conventional wisdom.  It will not do to simply memorize information because the data you put in your brain today will be obsolete tomorrow.  What is important is the ability to think, analyze and create – those are skills that can last forever.”