1. Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD)
Ministry of Higher Education & Highways

2. Project Highlights Project Period : June 2017 to June 2023 (5 Years)
Project Value : US$ 100 Million
Sources of Finance
IBRD : US$ 67 Million
IDA : US$ 33 Million
Key Results Areas
Increasing enrolment in tertiary education in priority disciplines
Improving the Quality of Higher Education
Promoting Research Development and Innovation

3. Country Context
Sri Lanka is a lower-middle-income country with per capita income of US$ 3,900 and a population of around 21million but country shows some demographic and economic characteristics of a upper-middle-income country; low population growth rate (0.92%) , structure of the economy moving towards services (61%) and industry (31%)
Some Basic human development levels in Sri Lanka are high by the standards of LMICs to UMICs (Primary and Secondary Education, Literacy Rate and Life Expectancy)
Primary and secondary education outcome are improving recent fast providing a strong foundation for development of higher education
Government considers higher education as a vital engine for development of and the promotion of shared prosperity

4. Sector Highlights
Low gross enrolment ratio in Higher Education Sector due to limited opportunities available
Shortage of qualified academic staff
Quality variation among institutions
Domination of teacher centered traditional and passive student learning
Variation of employability prospects and employment experience
Less focus on research and innovation
Low level of public funding
Private education without proper regulation (quality enhancement is required)
Lack of proper QAA system

5. Key Results Areas
Results Area 1: Increasing the Enrollment in Higher Education in Priority Disciplines for Economic Development
STEM Areas and ATIs under SLIATE
Results Area 2: Improving the Quality of Higher Education
Enriching Teaching Learning and Assessment (ELTA) and English Language Skills Enhancement (ELSE)
Professional Development - Postgraduate Funding , Short Term Training for Capacity Building
Strengthening QAA work
Results Area 3: Promoting Research Development and Innovation
Develop a culture of research & development and innovation & Commercialization (RDIC)
System of competitive performance based research Projects
STEMS- HEMS Interdisciplinary research
Development of University Business Linkages

6. Disbursement-Linked Indicators (DLIs)
Results Area 1: Increasing the Enrollment in Higher Education in Priority Disciplines for Economic Development
DLI 1 (US$ 22m): Increasing intake in STEM degree programmes
DLI2 (US$ 8m): Higher Education Sector Development Strategy
Results Area 2: Improving the Quality of Higher Education
DLI 3(US$ 24m): Faculty level System for Enriching Teaching Learning and Assessment (ELTA) and Enhancement (ELSE)
DLI 4(US$ 11m): Department level systems for Enriching Teaching Learning and Assessment (ELTA) and s Enhancement (ELSE)
DLI 5(US$ 12m): Postgraduate Funding , Short Term Training for Capacity Building
Strengthening QAA work
Results Area 3: Promoting Research Development and Innovation
DLI 6 (US$ 16m): University level systems for Research and Development, Innovation and Commercialization

7. Programme Implementation
National Level Agencies:
Ministry of Higher Education and Highways (MHEH)
University Grants Commission(UGC)
Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education (SLIATE)
Institution Level
Universities (OTS)
Advanced Technological Institute
Operation Monitoring and Support Team (OMST)
This will be set up in the Ministry of Higher Education and Highways integrated with the UGC to provide academic, Technical and Operational Expertise for the Implementation of AHEAD