What is new is that this year the fair is not held as usual at LuxExpo but on the Belval Campus. Around 100 stands representing universities, student unions, and associations provide information about future student and professional life to students in the final two years of Luxembourg’s school system.
The Student Fair is organised each year by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Association of Luxembourg Student Unions (ACEL). The fair helps students who do not yet know what they want to do after secondary school.
Ann Bertemes from ACEL explains that there are institutions where students can ask what fields of study are available and many different countries to choose from. Students who already know what they want to study can chat with members of field specialised student unions, while those who know where they want to study may want to talk to members of local student unions. " I think even if you don’t know exactly, you’ll get a better idea here,” according to Bertemes. As one might anticipate, the students that attended the Fair on Thursday had a wide range of interests:
“I’d like to do something with art, I’m in section E* [Fine Arts] and it’s hard to find something.”
“I want to study medicine, or something related to it. But ideally in a German-speaking area.”
“I would like to study physics. I’m in section B* [Mathematics] and I like everything related to mathematics and physics.”
“I want to study law. I need some more information on it and that’s why I’m here.”
In 2020, the Student Fair was entirely virtual and last year it was held partly online and partly face-to-face, but under CovidCheck rules. This year, it has returned to its traditional form, which the students also appreciate:
“It’s much better; it brings us closer together and boosts motivation.”
“Much better, I was in my penultimate year last year and it was online and now that it’s back on site I find it much better.”
“Better. It’s usually best to experience things for yourself rather than just read about them on the internet; I heard it was a disaster last year.”
In addition to the actual fair on the Belval Campus, there is also a digital platform with 80 other exhibitors. The digital platform www.Studentefoire.lu, which contains important information about the exhibitors, will be available until the end of December. The Student Fair is open to students from 9am to 5pm on Friday. It will also be open to the public between 3pm and 5pm.
*Editor’s note: In the Luxembourgish school system, students enrolled in classic secondary education have to choose a “section” after their fourth year, which basically means that they have to specialise in a specific area. Possible sections include A (modern languages and literature), B (mathematics), C (natural sciences), D (economics), E (fine arts), F (music), G (humanities and social sciences), and I (IT – communication).
