University fees are an entirely legitimate subject for discussion. Higher education represents a significant investment for most families, and anyone considering university should ask what it will cost, what they will receive in return and whether that investment represents good value.

I have recently seen this question raised in relation to Euro University of Bahrain: how can a relatively young university justify charging around BD 30,000 for a bachelor’s degree, particularly when overseas universities are sometimes assumed to cost less?

It is a reasonable question. However, like many questions about higher education, the answer depends on looking beyond a single headline figure.

Understanding the headline number

EUB’s published undergraduate tuition fee is BD 7,500 per year. A simple calculation of four years of study at the full published fee produces a figure of around BD 30,000 before small one-off application and registration fees.

Mathematically, that calculation is correct. However, it does not represent the experience of every EUB student.

Many students receive scholarships, bursaries or other forms of financial support that significantly reduce the cost of their education. Academic scholarships can reduce annual tuition fees, while exceptional applicants may receive substantial awards, including scholarships covering a significant proportion of tuition.

EUB also participates in government-supported scholarship schemes, including Ministry of Education fully funded scholarships, Waqf Isa and MKF Rayaat programmes, through which eligible students may receive significant financial support towards their studies.

The important point is that the maximum published tuition fee is not the same as the actual cost paid by every student.

Comparing universities means comparing the whole experience

A second question is whether EUB is unusually expensive compared with universities overseas.

This comparison needs care. International tuition fees vary significantly between countries and institutions, and tuition is only one part of the cost of studying abroad.

A student leaving Bahrain to study overseas may also need to consider accommodation, food, transport, visa costs, healthcare costs, flights and the wider expenses associated with living away from home.

The purpose of this comparison is not to suggest that studying overseas is the wrong choice. Overseas study can provide valuable experiences and opportunities, and for some students it will be exactly the right decision.

The point is simply that meaningful comparisons need to consider the complete educational experience and the full cost of achieving it, rather than comparing one tuition figure with another.

The value of an EUB education

EUB is a young university, but the degrees our students study are not young degrees.

Our students study for University of London degrees supported by an academic framework with a history extending for almost two centuries. The age of EUB as an institution does not determine the academic standing of the degree awarded to our graduates.

Around that internationally recognised degree, EUB has deliberately built a distinctive educational environment.

Our classes are designed to remain small, generally with 20–25 students. This allows students to be known as individuals, to participate actively, to ask questions and to develop close relationships with the academics teaching them.

At larger universities, students can benefit from many outstanding opportunities, but the scale of the learning environment can be very different. At EUB, close academic engagement is built into the normal student experience from the beginning.

Preparing students beyond the classroom

A university education should create more than academic knowledge. It should help students develop the skills, confidence and experience needed to succeed after graduation.

At EUB, students benefit from opportunities including internships, industry engagement and professional experiences from the early stages of their studies. Alongside their formal degree curriculum, they develop communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability and professional judgement.

This is what we describe as the “curriculum beyond the curriculum”: the wider set of capabilities students develop through experience as well as through academic study.

Employers do not recruit graduates simply because of what they know. They look for people who can communicate effectively, work with others, solve unfamiliar problems and adapt to changing circumstances.

Our aim is therefore to combine the academic standards of an internationally recognised University of London degree with the personal attention, professional exposure and employability development that our scale allows us to provide.

The advantage of studying in Bahrain

There is also value in being able to obtain an international degree while remaining in Bahrain.

Students can continue to live within their family and social environment, build professional networks within Bahrain’s economy and gain experience with local organisations, while avoiding many of the additional costs associated with relocating overseas.

For many families, the combination of international academic standards, personal support and local accessibility is an important part of the value equation.

Value is about more than price

None of this means EUB will be the right choice for every student.

Some students will prefer a much larger university. Some will want the experience of living overseas. Some families will focus primarily on the lowest possible tuition cost. Others will place greater value on small classes, direct access to academics, internships, professional preparation and the opportunity to study for an internationally recognised degree close to home.

All of these are legitimate choices.

What matters is that families make those choices using complete and comparable information.

A university education cannot be measured by a single fee figure alone. Value comes from the combination of academic quality, student experience, support, opportunities and the outcomes that education helps create.

If someone asks, “Why should EUB cost this much?”, the answer should not be indignation. It should be evidence.

EUB’s responsibility is to explain clearly what students receive: an internationally recognised University of London degree, a personalised learning environment, close access to academic staff, professional experience and opportunities designed to prepare graduates for their future.

Families can then decide for themselves whether that represents good value.

That is how it should be.