In February, the Government of Sri Lanka announced plans to establish a Higher Education Development Commission (HEDC), which will replace both the University Grants Commission and Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission of Sri Lanka.

This is based on the report of a Parliamentary group which was tasked to submit recommendations for the expansion of higher education opportunities in Sri Lanka. The report recommends that the HEDC will be an umbrella body encompassing all higher education sectors including vocational education with responsibility for four specific areas - state universities, non-state universities/institutes, vocational education universities/institutes and quality assurance. The HEDC will be an autonomous and independent body, reporting directly to the Sri Lankan parliament. Headed by a commissioner, it will have 11 members, who will be sector experts from academia, professional fields and management.

A legislative process would need to be followed to establish the HEDC, given the status and power being invested with it. While this process is likely to start shortly, with Presidential elections scheduled later this year, it could take some time.

British Council comments

Driven by the objective to enhance the educational landscape in Sri Lanka, the government is considering various reforms which would help in expansion of the education sector to meet unmet demand and raise quality standards.

Some of the reforms include proposed regulation for non-state institutions, setting up international branch campuses, and collaboration with international education institutions to offer multiple degrees through state universities. The parliamentary group which recommended HEDC has also suggested revamping the administrative system of state universities to improve governance, accountability and transparency, and establishing 25 universities in each of the 25 districts with a focus on both academic and vocational education, preferably through public-private-partnership models.  It also recommended granting degree-awarding status to technical education institutes.

The consolidation of different bodies into one single regulatory entity, as well as the other planned changes, will make it easier for overseas HEIs to engage with the country’s education sector in a more holistic way. This will help to encourage more long term and sustainable collaborations facilitated with a streamlined regulatory framework, in order to improve the quality of higher education in Sri Lanka. From the market and investment point of view, such reforms are intended to change the perception of Sri Lanka as a high-risk education market and to highlight its enormous potential.

Links

https://www.themorning.lk/articles/QkixcftCYkRzlR3O1rYP

https://www.sundaytimes.lk/230806/education/psc-recommends-national-higher-education-commission-to-replace-ugc-and-vocational-training-authority-527214.html

https://economynext.com/sri-lankas-new-commission-to-set-standards-for-private-university-degrees-minister-142880/