Currently, a number of programmes are in place in Sri Lankan universities to improve quality in the higher education sector. Due to limited resources and financial austerity, however, very few of them pay attention to improving the qualifications and skills of non-academic staff. This capacity-building project addresses this issue. It is a joint initiative of 6 Sri Lankan universities, 4 EU universities and one non-academic partner. The University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Higher Education have joined as associated partners. The project’s overall objective is to enhance the governance, management and operation of universities in Sri Lanka by building the knowledge and skills of non-academic staff, in view of enhancing organizational performance and supporting current and future modernization efforts and reforms in higher education. The specific objectives are:1.To enhance Sri Lankan Universities’ knowledge and good practices base in key areas of governance and management2.To improve through training and international exposure the knowledge, skills and attitudes of non-academic staff in the partner universities 3.To put in place institutional strategies and support structures in the partner universities, enabling a long-term commitment to the training and professional development of non-academic staff.4.To provide recommendations for actions applicable to the national higher education system and to inspire other universities to develop adequate plans for the professional development of their non-academic staff.Planned activities include:-development of training curriculum focused on university administration, internationalization in higher education, financial management and auditing, soft skills, Equality and Diversity-training of trainers in transnational format-local multiplication trainings (for around 180 non-academic staff)-creation of Non-Academic Staff Development Cells-development of university strategies-dissemination activities
To strengthen the governance, management, and operations of SL universities by enhancing the knowledge and skills of NAS, thereby improving organizational performance and supporting ongoing and future modernization efforts in HE. The specific objectives are to enhance knowledge and good practices of the NAS through training and international exposure, to put in place institutional strategies and support structures enabling long-term commitment to the training and professional development of NAS.
In Sri Lankan (SL) universities, there is no structured mechanism to enhance the capacity and skills of non-academic staff (NAS) . Existing programs at universities aimed at improving the quality of higher education (HE) primarily focus on academics, students, and curriculum development. The project addressed this issue by building the knowledge and skills of NAS through targeted training, capacity-building initiatives, sustainable support structures, and developing institutional strategies.
<< Background >> In Sri Lankan (SL) universities, there is no structured mechanism to enhance the capacity and skills of non-academic staff (NAS) . Existing programs at universities aimed at improving the quality of higher education (HE) primarily focus on academics, students, and curriculum development. The project addressed this issue by building the knowledge and skills of NAS through targeted training, capacity-building initiatives, sustainable support structures, and developing institutional strategies. << Objectives >> To strengthen the governance, management, and operations of SL universities by enhancing the knowledge and skills of NAS, thereby improving organizational performance and supporting ongoing and future modernization efforts in HE. The specific objectives are to enhance knowledge and good practices of the NAS through training and international exposure, to put in place institutional strategies and support structures enabling long-term commitment to the training and professional development of NAS. << Implementation >> All proposed activities were successfully executed within the project period in line with the work plan, though with some adjustments to the timeline and phase of implementation. Visa issues for Portugal and NAS trade union actions, which led to a temporary suspension of university operations, required a revised schedule. Despite these challenges, the project maintained a strong focus on meeting its objectives, with no significant deviations in tasks/ deliverables. << Results >> 1. Developed training curriculum to respond to the training needs of the NAS and reflect global practices. 2. 64 NAS (individuals) were trained as future trainers, and 1584 NAS were trained in multiplication training held in SL partner universities. 3. Established fully operational NAS development cells (NASDCs) in SL partner universities with mandate documents and action plans. 4. Raised awareness through dissemination efforts, including a final conference attended by over 80 stakeholders.