HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM IN SRI LANKA

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Higher Education

This is regarded as the most valuable stage of one’s life

Higher Education granting is done

in 2 ways;

Through Government Universities

Through Private College

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Do we need a change?? Yes

Higher education needs to be more innovative

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Universities should practice…

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Knowledge on subjects and foreseeable opportunities in the market place. Developing skills and abilities

Blending the inputs together and giving an overall knowledge

Employable, Learned graduates to the society

Process…

Input

Process

Output

Market Myopia is the

shortsightedness of a

business. This is mainly due to failure of

proper management.

Universities too are driven by

market Myopia since they do

not concentrate on the

changing need of the society.

Are Universities Driven by Market Myopia?

Areas where Universities could be trapped in Market Myopia…

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Focusing mainly on the syllabus.

Less practical knowledge given

Uncertainty of the future market need

Not understanding the gaps in the market

Product driven and not market driven.Not Maintaining the required quality or standard

Is Quality a debatable question??

Some private universities provide degrees in 6 months for a higher price. Is this quality ????

Short term gained knowledge would lead to a permanent short sightedness.

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Are Universities Employment Driven or Market Driven?

Employment driven is focusing more on the job role and making the students employable.

Market Driven is Forecasting the future market need and adapting the students to fit into the change.

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What is most suited??

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Are Universities responsible to find jobs???

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Universities can only give the required knowledge and make the students employable

Make learned students and help them to foresee market opportunities and gaps

Creating students to fit in to the future opportunities in the market place

Why are private universities given priority when granting employment?

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QUALITY

DECIPLINE

LANGUAGE

MARKET ORIENTED

HARD WORK

TECHNOLOGY

PSYCHOLOGY

Education ... has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading. G M Trevelyan

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What Knowledge that needs to be given should be decided by universities.. There

should be innovativeness and quality carved into the knowledge given.

"Education is not the answer to the question. Education is the means to the answer to all questions." -William Allin

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Universities have a huge responsibility in giving the education that helps to answer all

questions in the outer world.

Universities must be self sufficient - Central Bank Governor Ramani Kangaraarachchi Wednesday, 2 March 2011

Ajith Nivard Cabraal

Sri Lankan universities have plenty of resources and they should be able to run their organizations without expecting Treasury funds in the future. Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal who was the chief guest at the inauguration of the M.Sc in Financial Mathematics program at the Colombo University said it is only a matter of changing the mindset of people.

He said that universities have great opportunities to develop resources in the country and all foreign universities have followed the method of giving higher education while contributing to the development of the economy. “Therefore our universities have to stay engaged and stand close to dialogue with the industry by being active and flexible to put out high quality products who will give value to their organizations,” he said.

Financial Mathematics Department Head J K Wijerathna said Sri Lankan universities are more Z core oriented but the industry goes to clients directly and accommodate customer requirements which is very practical. “Therefore universities and the industry must work together to utilize resources and deliver high quality products. Because it is the duty of everyone is to develop the national economy at a time that the country is in a turning point,” he said.

Colombo University Vice Chancellor Prof Kshanika Hirimburegama said plans are underway to accommodate foreign students in the university which will bring foreign currency to the country.

“Therefore our universities have to stay engaged and stand close to dialogue with the industry by being active and

flexible to put out high quality products who will give value to their

organizations,”

Conclusions….

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The higher education system needs to be

changed in to having a balance between

employment oriented and market oriented.

This process should start from secondary education

systems.

Universities are not responsible in finding

jobs but they are responsible in giving quality education and

cater to fill the gap in the market place by helping students to prepare for a

better future.

Higher education is driven by market Myopia and this has to change by

properly managed and cater to the market need.

Conclusions….

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There should be Quality improvement in Higher

Education .

The Correct policy implication for higher

education is required (Not a ad hock Policy).

Need a  Strategic plane for Srilankan education  to overcome the percent

issues (e.g. Ten Year Plan for

Srilankan education) .

Finally…….“The purpose of Education's is to

replace an empty mind with an open one." - Malcolm Forbes -

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Thank you.

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