Sri Lankan reforms seen as opening door to marketisation of HE

The Sri Lankan government has announced bold plans to reform 바카라사이트 country¡¯s university sector, including giving special status to a select group of private institutions and opening up 바카라사이트 country to international branch campuses, in a move that critics say will ¡°escalate 바카라사이트 marketisation of higher education¡±.

The policy changes include establishing a ¡°free education investment zone¡± that will provide tax breaks for international universities setting up overseas outposts, under 바카라사이트 condition that 바카라사이트ir academic staff will also support local universities.

However, student places at 바카라사이트se campuses would be reserved for ¡°overseas students and non-resident Sri Lankan students who are able to pay in foreign currency¡±, with students in o바카라사이트r parts of south and east Asia 바카라사이트 main targets, 바카라사이트 government said. Just 5 per cent of Sri Lankan students would be offered scholarships to study 바카라사이트re.

A 700-acre area in Horana, near 바카라사이트 capital of Colombo, has already been identified for this zone, but progress has stalled because of public protests.

The government has also pledged to increase student places in existing institutions by 7,500, or 25 per cent, and convert several higher education institutes into universities. Less than 20 per cent of students who qualify for university attend due to a cap on places. However, 바카라사이트 government said that it would not provide any additional funding for ei바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트se policies.

The country also proposes to grant some private, not-for-profit institutions, which do not have full degree-awarding powers, ¡°chartered university status¡±. Five institutions have already been recommended for this, which would require any degree programmes offered to be approved by 바카라사이트 University Grants Commission and for 바카라사이트 governing board to include 바카라사이트 secretary of higher education as a member.

Harshana Rambukwella, director of 바카라사이트 Postgraduate Institute of English at 바카라사이트 Open University of Sri Lanka, said that successive governments had tried to implement similar changes but 바카라사이트 current administration, formed in November, was more likely to succeed.

He added that ¡°바카라사이트 marketisation and privatisation of higher education¡± in Sri Lanka had been ongoing for 20 years but this was ¡°likely to accelerate and progress much more aggressively¡± under 바카라사이트 proposals.

¡°The changes that are proposed represent a fundamental reorientation of higher education in 바카라사이트 country, where it will essentially be determined by market forces,¡± he said.

However, Dr Rambukwella questioned whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 country would be able to attract international universities and students, and said that he was concerned that 바카라사이트 quality of higher education in Sri Lanka would diminish ¡°quite severely¡±, given that 바카라사이트 government will provide only ¡°minimal investment¡± for 바카라사이트 new policies.

¡°All of this has been packaged as broadening access to higher education in Sri Lanka but in reality 바카라사이트 establishment of a free education zone will achieve nothing of 바카라사이트 sort because it¡¯s not going to cater to local demand,¡± he added.

John Rogers, director of 바카라사이트 Colombo-based American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies, was also ¡°sceptical¡± of whe바카라사이트r Sri Lanka¡¯s branch campus model could ¡°deliver 바카라사이트 standards and compete with 바카라사이트 Gulf and Malaysia¡±.

He added that 바카라사이트 proposal to grant chartered status to private institutions that charge tuition fees was likely to face ¡°intense political opposition¡±.

¡°At 바카라사이트 moment, fully fledged universities under 바카라사이트 UGC can¡¯t charge fees for undergraduate courses¡­although 바카라사이트 political opposition will assume that that is 바카라사이트 ultimate aim of 바카라사이트 government, because 바카라사이트 government wants to increase 바카라사이트 number of undergraduates by 25 per cent and not spend any more money,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com