Gazing into the future of Sri Lankan Higher Education: Capacity building for the future

Dr. Kulari Lokuge Dona, Prof. Mike Keppell

Amali Warusavitarana

Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education (SLIATE)

• The main aim of SLIATE is to create middle level professionals who are equipped with the required skills to cater to the demands created by the local and international job markets.

Key Drivers

• Government Support• International Aid through: _ Asian Development Bank

• Distance Education Partnership Project (DEPP)• Distance Education Modernization project (DEMP)• National Online Education Services (NODES)

– Austria and Netherland– World Bank

• Improving Relevance and Quality of Undergraduate Education (IRQUE)

• Higher Education for the Twenty-first Century (HETC)

Gazing into the future…

Strategic planning

Capacity Building

Resource acquisition

Delivery Model

Blended learning

Face to face

Onlinewww.lovetefl.com

Gazing into the future…

Strategic planning

Capacity Building

Resource acquisition

Strategic plans

Current Situation• Plans were focusing on

face-to-face delivery• Limited plans towards

e-learning• Legacy strategies,

policies and procedures

Forward Planning• Enhance knowledge

base• Participatory

development plan• Working through

support and delegation

Key Drivers : Strategic Planning

• Rewards• Policies and Procedures• Benchmarking• E-learning specific strategies• Professional Development strategies

Rewards

Professional Development

Exam marking

Over time

Benchmark

Gazing into the future…

Strategic planning

Capacity

Building

Resource

acquisition

Institutional Capacity Building

Current Situation• Limited skills• Limited resources to

practice new skills• Staff willing to share

knowledge

Forward Planning• Up-skill staff through

professional development• Masters programs• Short term development

courses• Seek academic contribution

in identifying resources and training

• Build a knowledge sharing culture

Key Drivers : Capacity Building

• Knowledge sharing culture• Professional development was arranged based

on department/area specific requirements• Staff were encouraged to take leadership • Opportunities to access external consultants

Gazing into the future…

Strategic planning

Capacity

Building

Resource

acquisition

Resource Acquisition

Current Situation• Limited resources• Shared resources between

staff and students• Existing resources were out

dated and old

Forward Planning• Initiatives to purchase

subject specific resources:– Accounting software– English Language Lab

• Initiatives to purchase resources for staff

Key Drivers

• Planned purchases through grants• Policies and Procedures related to resource

acquisitions

Gazing into the future…

• Collaborative work• Working in subject specific teams• Use of free tools• Mobile Learning• Social media

References• ADB (Asian Development Bank). (2007). Proposed Loan and Asian Development Fund Grant:

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Education for Knowledge Society Project. Manila.

• De Silva, K. (2011), An investigation of the management of e-learning resource development and delivery in higher education institutes of Sri Lanka, Charles Sturt University.

• DEPP (Distance Education Partnership Project). (2005). Distance Education Modernisation Project. Paper presented at the National Conference on Open and Distance Learning.

• DEPP (Distance Education Partnership Project). (2006). DEPP Points.Ministry of Higher Education, Sri Lanka, 1(1).

• Government of Sri Lanka. (2007). The e-Sri Lanka initiatives uses Information and Communication: Asia Pacific Network Group.

• Hanna, N. K. (2008). Transforming Government and Empowering Communities: The Sri Lankan Experience with e-Development: Washington D.C., The World Bank.

• IRQUE. (2009). Post Graduate Students: Public Universities in Sri Lanka. from www.irque.lk/postgraduateStudents/.

• SLIATE(2005). Strategic Plan for SLIATE. Colombo, Sri Lanka: SLIATE. Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education. (2011). from www.sliate.lk