Sri Lanka The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia Dr Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne Secretary Ministry of Higher Education Sri Lanka sec@mohe.gov.lk Regional Education Hubs: Reality or Rhetoric Ministry of Higher Education Sri Lanka

Structure About Sri Lanka Post-war macro economic environment Government’s vision: Mahinda Chinthana Challenges and Opportunities Implementation Comparative advantage Marketing Sri Lanka as a Centre of Excellence Questions and learning from others Sri Lanka – The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia

About Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka – The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia

Post-war macroeconomic environment Population 20 million (61% below Age 35) 8% GDP growth – 2nd fastest growing economy in South Asia Stable government with 2/3 majority in the parliament Per capita income US$ 2000 in 2010 (expect US$ 4000 by 2015) Inflation rate 6.8%; unemployment below 5.4% Booming tourism sector Stable Sri Lanka Rupee Conducive environment for investment – attracting FDI Rapid infrastructure development (highways, shipping/air ports, housing) Foreign reserves (US$ 7 billion) Budget deficit of 6.8% of GDP in 2011 Average annual GDP growth forecast for 2011-2015 period is 6.2% Worker remittances are growing at around 13% Significant shift in the country’s economy towards services (7%) Economy projected to expand 6.5% in 2011 (6.3% in 2012) Sources: Central Bank of Sri Lanka and Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka – The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia

Government vision (Mahinda Chinthana) “Develop a youth who can see the world over the horizon” “We have the opportunity to make this country a knowledge hub within the South Asian region. I will develop and implement an operational plan to make this country a local and international research and training centre for knowledge” Mahinda Chintana 2010 (President’s Mandate) HE Mahinda Rajapaksa Executive President Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Government vision cont. Sri Lanka - Miracle of Asia

Challenges and Opportunities State sector HE structure Post Advanced level Study Options 15 National Universities 2 Buddhist Universities 17 HE Institutes 12 Advance Technological Institutes Demand for HE increasing annually 6.3% (600,000 students in 2017) Supply vs. Demand Sri Lanka – The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia

Implementation Position Sri Lanka as a regional education hub in South East Asia Expand HE provision to meet local demand Attract international HE providers New regulatory framework to monitor quality across state and private sector provision Establishment of international campuses Expand in-country delivery of foreign degrees and qualifications through TNE partnerships Market Sri Lanka as a study destination in the region Sri Lanka – The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia

Implementation cont. Pass new Higher Education Act Ease restrictions on state universities to enrol foreign students and offer internationally accredited programmes Incentives to stimulate rapid expansion of private educational provision Provide 20% additional HE places for SL students Attract 10,000 foreign students by 2014 and increase to 100,000 by 2020 Establish 10 world-class foreign university campuses by 2013 Develop higher education as one of our key exports Sri Lanka – The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia

Implementation cont. Legislation – HE Act, Quality Assurance and Accreditation Council Up-grade state universities to world-class universities Promoting non-state sector higher educational institutes Provide maximum opportunities for HE within the country Enhance institutional freedom - deregulation Multiple routes and pathways – choice and flexibility – local – national – international – Institutional Incentives (Ministry, BOI etc.) Public-Private Partnerships Reduce dependency on treasury funds University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka Sri Lanka – The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia

Marketing Sri Lanka as a centre of excellence Agriculture Creative industries (fashion, design) Hospitality, Tourism, Travel and Leisure Health and Life Sciences (traditional medicine – Ayurvedha) Architecture Philosophy (Buddhism etc.) Conflict and peace studies Security and defense studies Business, Finance, IT, Management (BPO etc.) Uva Wellassa University Sri Lanka – The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia

Comparative Advantage Geographical location Rich heritage Diverse culture English language High literacy rate (93%) Recognition of the importance of Education Low cost of living Safety and security High quality national universities Sri Lanka – The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia

Questions and learning from others What is our niche? (subject areas, UG or PG?) Regional accessibility? Student experience/support systems? Brain gain? Access, equity, quality – avoiding state/private divide? How to balance international academic standards with national needs and local identity and culture? Funding models? Sri Lanka – The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia

Thank you Sri Lanka – The Most Cost-Effective Education Hub in Asia