This week I’ve been attending education fairs and meeting prospective students and their families.

It reminded me that to maximise an outcome you first need to know what you value.

Some things are easy to see: certificates, facilities, rankings — and yes, the price. These matter, of course. But the deeper values are less visible, and yet far more decisive.

Confidence. A student who leaves university believing in their ability to contribute, lead and adapt will go further than one who only collected credits.

Connection. A certificate may open one door, but networks, internships and industry links open many more. Education must connect students to the world beyond the classroom.

Capability. Employers don’t only ask “what did you study?” but “what can you do?” A certificate signals completion; but a portfolio demonstrates ability.

Care. Support, encouragement and belonging. These are not extras — they are what sustain students through challenges and bring out their best.

At Euro University of Bahrain, we have chosen to value confidence, connection, capability and care — because they are qualities that endure long after the visible milestones of university life are over.

And so the question remains: when choosing a university, do we judge it by what is most visible — or by what is harder to see but lasts much longer — the outcome?

In the end, perhaps the real measure of a university’s value is not what families pay, but who their sons and daughters become because they chose to study there.