A salient observation was that although, many students had high aspirations and expectations in their future careers, many lacked the knowledge of choices and options beyond conventional professions such as doctors, engineers, lawyers. Due to limited places in our Universities, both students and parents alike were seen to face the harsh reality of their lack of awareness or preparedness of alternate choices and options with the announcement of examination results. They were seen facing numerous challenges in identifying and deciding on careers and steps necessary for academic or professional development along a chosen path.

Many failed to realise that such preparedness and early decisions were crucial and any delay in making the right decision entailed both economic and opportunity costs.

Thus, the national need of a single platform to provide more broad based higher education and career guidance opportunities for the Sri Lankan youth was identified and EDEX was launched in 2004 as a platform to showcase all relevant opportunities.. The event became an instant success due to the superiority of principled standards adopted.

Growing with the participant and visitor numbers year on year, its recognition reached beyond the shores of Sri Lanka attracting a large number of foreign direct participants. EDEX, the National Higher Education and Careers EXPO is now the single largest nationwide platform connecting Sri Lankan youth with Choices, Options and Opportunitiesin the post-secondary, graduate and postgraduate fields, technical and vocational training leading to gainful employment.

Today, EDEX EXPO which embraces the vision "To Empower Sri Lankan Youth to Be Globally Competitive"is the only twin mega exhibition on a national scale held in Sri Lanka in Colombo and Kandy annually.