With its long-standing tradition of learning and education and state-of-the-art facilities and technology, Europe is regarded as a centre of excellence for higher education. The high quality of teaching and learning in Europe is regularly monitored and improved by the European Higher Education Area, which ensures the comparability and compatibility of its educational systems.

The European Union (EU), therefore, plays a significant role in promoting Europe as a stellar destination for higher education to students worldwide, including in ASEAN.

With this in mind, the EU Delegation to Vietnam (EUD), in collaboration with EU Member States (EUMS), has organised "Study in Europe" Education Fairs annually from 2016 to 2019, attracting more than 10,000 visitors. This year, the flagship event again returned, welcoming a combined 1,800 visitors to fairs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on 12 and 13 December 2020, respectively.

Conceived under the slogan “Study in Europe-Open Your Mind”, both events gathered 16 EUMS to showcase higher education and scholarship opportunities. Meanwhile, the conference session featured first-hand accounts from Vietnamese alumni, providing valuable insights into the realities of living, studying and travelling in the EU.

Indeed, the benefits of study opportunities in Europe extend beyond education. According to many of the alumni, one of the most satisfying aspects of studying abroad are the cultural and social exchanges, which enable them to gain multicultural outlooks and forge partnerships with individuals and organisations around the world.

The European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) also returned to the Philippines in 2020. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the event was conducted as a virtual fair for the first time. This did not, however, impact the enthusiasm of the 17,138 online participants who engaged with 12 EUMS and 93 higher education institutions via EHEF's official website. Moreover, the virtual format enabled students from various parts of the country to benefit from the event, many of whom had not previously had access to EHEF. More than half of the registered participants were, in fact, located outside Metro Manila.

Held from 2 to 3 October under the theme “Study in Europe: The Future is EUrs”, the event featured webinars on research programmes, sponsorship, and mobility opportunities, as well as country presentations and live chats with EUMS representatives, alumni, and scholars. Students also explored opportunities for distance learning, with many European higher education institutions offering post-graduate degrees through distance education programmes.