DOHA: A total of 236 students from Qatar are among 2,800 from across the world to graduate from London School of Marketing (LSM) next month.
The ceremony at the iconic O2 Arena on September 13 and 14 is believed to be the UK’s biggest graduation of international students.
The largest group of students at 540 is from Pakistan, followed by Bangladesh with 425. The remaining students are of several nationalities — 236 from India, 189 from Sri Lanka, 74 from China and 175 from Nepal. All students have gained a UK qualification back home and for many, the graduation will be the first time they have visited London.
LSM teaches them virtually but with offline support in their home country. It offers a physical presence within a country and local support for student.
The ceremony will offer a modern take on traditional graduation. Students will walk onto the stage on a first-come basis, receive awards and have selfies taken with their families. After that they will be able to leave to celebrate with their families and will not be expected to sit through any speeches or other formalities.
LSM has led the way in e-learning and over the past three years opened a network of Local Access Points (LAPs) across the globe.
LAPs allow students to study in their countries and receive a British qualification and include India, the UAE, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Ghana and Hong Kong, among other countries. LSM believes its popularity is due to a range of business-focused courses and the unique mix of e-learning and offline support it offers to students.
Anton Dominique, Chief Finance Officer, LSM, said: “It is fantastic to be welcoming so many international students to London for our graduation ceremony. Our experience shows that international students want a UK education but the cost of moving to and studying in the UK means that for many it’s unlikely ever to happen. That’s where our LAPs make a difference. It gives students an opportunity that previously may not have been open to them and allow them, once qualified, to improve their career prospects.”
The Peninsula
