Education

Selecting a higher education institute in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an Asian nation where parents value their children's education. This is a primary reason why the literacy rate in Sri Lanka surpasses most SAARC nations. The UNDP report (2009) indicates that Sri Lanka maintains a literacy rate of 91% while the highest literacy rate any other SAARC nation reaches only 60%. A high literacy rate does not have much value in itself but the literacy rate of a nation is the foundation for many other salubrious national indicators such as readiness of people to learn higher skills, ease of communicating for better living and the like.

The higher rate of literacy also indicates a higher percentage of readers, learners, and the dedication of parents to educate their children. However, the tertiary and higher education in Sri Lanka has become a competing field, both for education providers and parents. Sri Lanka witnesses over two hundred thousand students sitting the GCE AL examination every year but the State universities could accommodate only fewer than twenty thousand students, though about one hundred thousand students qualify for admission. What is the plight of the large numbers who fail to gain admission into State universities? It is found that a smaller proportion of the affluent students go abroad to join foreign universities while the majority prefers to obtain a recognized foreign degree while remaining in Sri Lanka. The demand for this mode of obtaining a degree has become so intense that there are over twenty four private degree awarding higher educational institutes operating in Sri Lanka.

The great number of institutes offering foreign degrees has confused many parents and students in terms of the quality and value of the promised degree. Parents and students should ensure that the degree offered by the foreign university through a local institute is well recognized by authorities. Good universities are accredited by the Government of the particular country and the list of accredited universities can be seen in many websites and printed material available in High Commissions and embassies. The other indicator is the inclusion of the university in the "Association of Commonwealth Universities" which applies to universities in the Commonwealth nations. There are a few local institutes which offer degrees from unaccredited foreign universities and students who complete such degrees will be lost when they want to transfer credits to other universities or when they seek visas to enter the country for higher studies.

The other criterion is the logistics and facilities offered by the local institute to students. It is best that the parents and students personally visit the institute to observe the quality of lecture rooms, teaching technology, common provisions and the like before making a financial commitment. As much as the status of the degree awarding foreign university, parents should also look into the qualifications, experience, and teaching skills of the academic staff of the local institute.

The Faculty of Management and Finance of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Management signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on of September 17, 2010, with the Buckinghamshire New University, enabling the Faculty to conduct three Honours degree programmes in Business Management, Business and Marketing Management, and International Business. The Buckinghamshire New University is listed with the "Association of Commonwealth Universities" and thus wins the recognition of the University Grants Commission. The two partners hope that the agreement will pave the way for a long lasting partnership and provide quality higher education in Sri Lanka.

The MOU provides for students to complete the programme in Sri Lanka or proceed to the UK to complete the final year. Another important feature of the MOU is that it allows the students having full or part professional qualifications to enter the degree programme at intermediate levels, shortening the length of the programme substantially.

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