Professional business qualifications are crucial to personal success at work in our increasingly competitive world. It is good news therefore to see that Sri Lankan students consistently score well in business qualifications from one of the world's leading providers, the Association of Business Executives - UK (ABE).

Hundreds of Sri Lankan students have taken ABE qualifications over the years. The organisation has therefore decided to acknowledge their achievement by holding its first awards ceremony specifically for Sri Lankan students. The event, which is by invitation only, will take place on December 4 at BMICH "Mihilaka Medura" and will be attended by senior representatives of the British and Sri Lanka educational establishments and related organisations.

ABE is based in the UK and has provided qualifications in business for more than 30 years. The organisation is recognised by the British government's Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and its qualifications are on the Register of Regulated Qualifications.
Its flexible qualifications start at Certificate level and then provide a structured progression through Diploma, Advanced Diploma and up to Postgraduate Diploma. You can choose from six subjects: business management, financial management, business information systems, marketing, human resource management and travel, tourism and hospitality management. More than 50,000 students study ABE qualifications worldwide every year. ABE qualifications are taught at 12 colleges in Sri Lanka and around 600 colleges worldwide (of which 200 are in UK).

One reason why ABE qualifications are so popular in Sri Lanka is because they are internationally recognised. They are accepted for university entrance in more than 70 universities in UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, India, UAE, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Namibia, Kenya, Ghana and the Netherlands. Thus ABE Diplomas are normally accepted for entry on the second year of Bachelor's degree courses, the Advanced Diploma on to the third or final year of Bachelor's degree courses and the Postgraduate Diploma for advanced entry to MBAs. So not only do ABE provide valuable business qualifications in their own right, but students can also save time and money from starting their degree in the second or third year.

ABE's country manager in Sri Lanka, Mrs Avanti Wanasinghe De Silva, says "ABE qualifications are ideal for students who want to fast track their route to university and also save money as a result."She also points out that the 12 ABE accredited colleges provide students studying for ABE qualifications state-of-the-art facilities and most importantly the lectures are conducted by well qualified and experienced lecturers.

For more information on ABE qualifications go to their website at www.abeuk.com or phone 011 5749743. The list of colleges in Sri Lanka that offer ABE qualifications can be found at www.abeuk.com/colleges/collegesearch/. Details of universities that accept ABE qualifications for entry are at www.abeuk.com/afterabe/universities/.