Strategic Management Plan
University Grants Commission
2013-2017

University Grants Commission

This publication is available and can be downloaded from www.ugc.ac.lk(www.ugc.ac.lk/en/publications.html)

Strategic Management Plan
University Grants Commission
2013-2017

University Grants Commission

Table of contents
Chairperson’s message

Page 01

Abbreviations

Page 02

Higher educational institutions coming under the purview of the UGCPage 03

The vision

Page 05

The mission

Page 07

Goals

Page 08

Goal 1: Widened participation and equitable access to higher education

Page 10

Key performance indicators : Goal 1

Page 13

Goal 2 : Improved quality and relevance of academic programmes

Page 14

Key performance indicators : Goal 2

Page 17

Goal 3 : Strengthened research, innovation and entrepreneurship

Page 18

Key performance indicators : Goal 3

Page 21

Goal 4 : Increased role of HEIs as strategic partners in socio economic development andpeace & reconciliation

Page 22

Key performance indicators : Goal 4

Page 25

Goal 5 : Increased international cooperation and competitiveness

Page 26

Key performance indicators : Goal 5

Page 29

Goal 6 : Improved physical and aesthetic environment and stakeholder satisfaction of HEIs Page 30
Key performance indicators : Goal 6

Page 33

Goal 7 : Improved financial management and sustainability

Page 34

Key performance indicators : Goal 7

Page 37

Goal 8 : Enhanced good governance and capacity of UGC and HEIs

Page 38

Key performance indicators : Goal 8

Page 41

Bibliography

Page 42Chairperson’s
message

Sri Lanka is rapidly moving towards national development after the end of the three-decade-long terrorism.
Reconciliation, development of trust and economic empowerment are vital in this process of national development
which can be achieved through education and a knowledge-based economy. The rich intellectual resources and thehigh literacy levels of Sri Lanka along with its rich cultural heritage, ancient technologies, natural flora and fauna,
combined with new knowledge, could steer our country towards becoming the “Knowledge Hub” of Asia. It isessential that developing countries such as ours move rapidly to join the fast-moving knowledge-based global
economy while safeguarding our cultures that are essential environmental factors to express inherited genetic
abilities. The successful transition to a knowledge economy depends on the key contribution from universities
where a knowledge-based, skilled workforce is produced for the nation. Thus, universities as centres of knowledgecreation and dissemination are pivotal in guiding the country towards a knowledge economy assured of sustainable
peace and harmony.
It is with this sense of responsibility that the Strategic Plan 2013-2017 of the University Grants Commission has been
prepared, focusing on its significant role as the apex body of all the state universities in the country. The present
Strategic Plan (2013-2017), to a large extent, is guided by the Mahinda Chinthana state policy document, thestrategic plan of the MOHE (2012-2015) and the Corporate Plan (2011-2015) of the UGC.
As mentioned above, in Sri Lanka's journey towards a knowledge-based global economy, its fifteen state universities
and seventeen higher educational institutions which produce around 22,000 graduates annually have a decisiverole to play in creating the intellectual resources of the nation. Their knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes are vitalin transforming Sri Lanka into a knowledge hub and a country with high social and economic values. In a borderless
globe, the aspects of university education have to be on a par with internationally accepted higher educational
norms. Thus, eight goals are identified in the areas of equitable access, quality and relevance, research andinnovation, good governance, financial management and sustainability, a conducive environment, socio-economic
development and international cooperation and competitiveness.
My humble appeal to all higher educational leaders, including all staff, is to be genuinely committed, accountable
and to play your own role in achieving the tremendous transformation in order to realize our common vision 'to be
the knowledge hub in the region and a leader in higher education in Asia by 2020'. Sri Lankans will be the main
beneficiaries.
Professor Kshanika Hirimburegama
Bsc (Hons), MPhil, PhD(Professor of Botany, Senior Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo)

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is the apex body of the University System in Sri Lanka which wasestablished on 22nd December 1978 under the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978. The functions of the UGC are;planning and coordination of university education, allocation of funds to Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs),
maintenance of academic standards, regulation of the administration of HEIs and regulation of admission of
students to HEIs.

1

Abbreviations

2

GCE (A/L)| General Certificate of Examination (Advanced Level)

GER| Gross Enrolment RatioHE| Higher Education

HEIs| Higher Educational Institutions

ICT| Information and Communication Technology

IT| Information Technology

ITG| IT governance

MIS| Management Information System

MOHE| Ministry of Higher Education

MOU| Memorandum of Understanding

ODL| Open and Distance Learning

OUSL| Open University of Sri Lanka

QAA| Quality Assurance and Accreditation

R&D| Research and Development

TE| Tertiary Education

UGC| University Grants Commission

UNIDO| United Nations Industrial Development Organization

UNCTAD| United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

WEF| World Economic ForumHigher educational institutions coming under the purview
of the UGC

UJA

Vavunia Campus

KLN
PGIM
PIM
NCAS

UVPA

IIM

IBMBB

Trincomalee Campus
PGIAR

UCSC

NILIS

CMB

IHRA

PGIE

PGIPBS

RUSL

OUSL

SJP
SVIAS

EUSL
ITUM
PGIA

WUSL

MRT

PDN

PGIS

SEUSL
UWU
GWAI

Sri Palee Campus
SUSL

IARS

RUH

Universities :CMB : University of Colombo, EUSL : Eastern University, Sri Lanka, KLN : University of Kelaniya, MRT : University of Moratuwa, OUSL : Open
University of Sri Lanka, PDN : University of Peradeniya, RUH : University of Ruhuna, RUSL : Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, SEUSL : South Eastern
University of Sri Lanka, SJP : University of Sri Jayewardenepura, SUSL : Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, UJA : University of Jaffna,
UVPA : University of the Visual and Performing Arts, UWU : Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, WUSL : Wayamba University of Sri Lanka

Postgraduate and other Institutes :GWAI : Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute, IARS : Institute for Agro-Technology and Rural Sciences, IBMBB : Institute of Biochemistry,
Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, IHRA: Institute of Human Resource Advancement, IIM : Institute of Indigenous Medicine, ITUM : Institute ofTechnology University of Moratuwa, NCAS : National Centre for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, NILIS : National Instituteof Library and Information Sciences, PGIA : Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture, PGIAR : Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, PGIE :Postgraduate Institute of English, PGIM :Postgraduate Institute of Medicine , PGIPBS : Postgraduate Institute of Pali & Buddhist Studies, PGIS :Postgraduate Institute of Science, PIM : Postgraduate Institute of Management, SVIAS : Swami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies, UCSC :University of Colombo School of Computing

3

4

The vision

Sri Lanka to be
the knowledge hub
in the region anda leader in higher educationin Asia by 2020

“The objective of our next massive leap forward is to transform Sri Lanka into a strategically important economic centre of the world. My
determination, therefore, is to transform Sri Lanka into the Pearl of the Asian Silk Route once again, in modern terms, using our strategic
geographical location effectively, I will develop our Motherland as a Naval, Aviation, Commercial, Energy and Knowledge hub, serving as a key
link between the East and West.”
HE the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mahinda Chinthana, Vision for the Future5

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The mission

To guide, establish and develop through good governance andmanagement a sustainable, widely acclaimed and accessible
higher education system dedicated to quality teachinglearning, high impact research, innovative enterprise,
constructive community engagement, peace and harmony andstrategic international cooperation in line with national
development

In an era of globalization, rising world standards and intense competition between countries and among evenproviders of higher education, UGC has developed a vision and mission to drive higher educational institutions inconjunction with cordial partnerships towards a global knowledge economy in consonance with national policy.

7

Goals2

1

Widened participation and equitable access to higher education2

Improved quality and relevance of academic programmes

3

Strengthened research, innovation and entrepreneurship

4

Increased role of HEIs as strategic partners in socio-economic
development and peace & reconciliation

5

Increased international cooperation and competitiveness6

Improved physical & aesthetic environment and stakeholder
satisfaction

7

Improved financial management and sustainability

8

Enhanced good governance and capacity

The first four strategic goals encompass four major aspects of centres of excellence so as to deliver a vital and multidimensional contribution to the well-being of the country and her people. The fifth strategic goal is to create a truly
international university education sector as the country journeys towards becoming an international education hub in
Asia. The last three strategic goals are to strengthen and enable HEIs to meet the challenges and provide leadership toachieve the first five goals.

8Strategic approach towards making Sri Lanka a knowledge hub
in the region and a leader in higher educationin Asia by 2020

Increased international cooperation andcompetitiveness

Building worldclass HEIs

Focusingonnational
needs

Widenedparticipation
andequitable
access tohigher education

Improved
quality &relevance of
academic
programmes

Strengthened
research,
innovation andentrepreneurship

Increased role of
HEIs as strategic
partners insocio-economic
development andpeace &
reconciliation

Improved physical & aesthetic environment and stakeholder
satisfaction
Strengthening
HEIs’
capacity

HEIs

Improved financial management and sustainability
Enhanced good governance and capacity

UGC

Excellent facilitation: Institutional development within UGC

MOHEGovernment

9

Goal 1
Widened participation andequitable access tohigher education

Objectives
1.1.

Increase admission to undergraduate academic programmes of state
universities by 5% annually

1.2.

Increase intake to postgraduate programmes of state universities by 10%
annually

1.3.

Increase admission to the Open University of Sri Lanka by 5% annually

1.4.

Increase admission under the open and distance learning (ODL) mode by
15% annually

1.5.

Increase admission to quality regulated external degree programmes by 5%
annually

1.6.

Facilitate the establishment of at least one non-state, non-profit HEI in eachof the disciplines of engineering and medicine by 2015

Participation in university education is vital for equipping
our citizens with the skills, knowledge and attitudes
needed to operate productively within a global economy.
HEIs need to make measurable progress in increasing
participation in university and higher education in keepingwith international standards.

10

Widening participation

15081

6659

6163
3500
1233

New degree programmes

Arts & Law

Mgt. &
Commerce

Science, IT &Paramedical
StudiesEngineering &Architecture

Medicine &DentalVet. &
Agriculture

Indigeneous
Medicine

ni
ru

Ot
he

U

53%

State fundedhigher education

35
%

92877
73295

40000

Enrolment inundergraduate &postgraduate
programmes

20840

2012

Student enrolment in universities- 2012
16086

%
12

n al

24573

istries
min

er
int

The balance 40% who are left out may seek HE/TE,
provided affordable and flexible modes of education
are made available to them. Similarly, HEIs at present
are not able to provide adequate places forpostgraduate education for personal careeradvancement and for national socio-economic
needs. As the primary providers of higher education,
the universities need to identify all potential
strategies for widening participation and increasing
access to HE in order to position Sri Lanka as a true
'knowledge hub' in Asia.

s&
tie
rsi
ve

GC

Widening participation and equitable access to university
education are vital for the success of the higher education sector.
In the year 2012, of about 230,000 students who sit the GCE (AL)examination about 145,000 obtain the minimum qualification tobe eligible for admission to a national university. Of the estimateddemand for HE/TE from those who qualify at the upper secondary
level (i.e. about 140,000 places per annum), it is estimated thatabout 60% pursue higher education in conventional universities,
the open and distance learning mode including external degrees,
other government institutions, private higher educational
institutions and professional bodies.

2017

Gross enrolment ratio (GER)
GER shows the general level of participation in agiven level of education regardless of age,
expressed as a percentage of the population in theofficial age group corresponding to this level of
education. GER in higher education in Sri Lanka
increased from 9.9% to 17.5% from 2006 to 2012
with the increased intake of students touniversities, which is the second highest in South
Asia. It is planned to achieve an overall GER of 25%
in the year 2020.

New innovative and internationally recognized degree
programmes will be introduced in order to produce
employable graduates and to provide placements
in universities for the increasing number ofstudents that qualify at the GCE (A/L) Examination.
The introduction of new degree programmes of
relevance to the job market and of high quality
would certainly widen the job opportunities available
for graduates in the government and private sector andin self-employment.

11

Open & distance learningand life-long learning

The greatest asset of the Sri Lankan education
system is the attitude and motivation of thepeople towards education. An educated personcommands much respect in the Sri Lankan
culture. Thus, educational opportunities are
pursued with enthusiasm by almost the entire
nation. One of the best indications of thisattitude is the demand for external andpostgraduate degree courses and life-long
education mainly among people in full-time
employment.

In recent years new emphasis has been placed on the development of Open and Distance Learning(ODL ) systems , particularly with the establishment of a new nationwide network of OUSL study
centres. Despite economic and family life difficulties and problems of time and transport, many whoare employed find it worthwhile to embark on external courses leading to basic and postgraduate
degrees and successfully complete them. ODL and life-long learning will be expanded to admit offcampus undergraduates and postgraduates with access to good teaching support systems. ODL
systems will also assist and enrich the internal educational process in HEIs.

Open University of Sri Lanka
The University was set up by theGovernment for the purpose ofproviding higher educational
opportunities to working adults andopening the road to academic successregardless of age, vocation, gender,
race, ethnicity or religion. The university
policy on admission would enable a person toregister at the lowest 'level' with mere basic literacy
and then climb up to postgraduate level.
OUSL functions through a dynamic network of regional study centres with multi-media accessto knowledge. Employed students are able to pursue studies by interacting with speciallydesigned self-instructional materials which function as a ‘Tutor in Print’. This method provides the
distance learner with the best possible learning opportunity enabling a balance between personal,
work-related and academic obligations. OUSL will be strengthened as its role will be vital in widening
education through ODL. OUSL functions under a main centre and 06 regional centres, 18 study
centres, and 06 teaching centres located island-wide.

Quality vs external/ODL Maintaining quality in ODL and external degree programmes has been achallenging issue. A large number of students register in external and ODL
coursesmodes of courses due to their low cost and strong demand for higher
education. To maintain effective and high quality ODL and external degree
offerings, HEIs need to explore innovative technologies to disseminate
learning in non-traditional ways. Furthermore, quality distance learning
will result in a shift from teaching-centred to learning-centred education.

12

Widened participation andequitable access tohigher education

Key performance indicators

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

23200

24400

25600

26800

28000

Number of unfilled (student) vacancies in HEIs

4%

3%

2%

1%

0.5%

New courses of studies including those in theTechnological streams

0

5

7

10

15

Admission of students to undergraduate programmes

Synchronized academic calendarüAll faculties of individual HEIsüAll HEIs

Postgraduate Diploma/Master qualifications

7700

7800

8000

8200

8400

MD

250

275

300

325

350

PhD

45

50

60

75

125

PhD grants recipients

65

70

70

70

70

1

Postgraduate university
Enrolment at Open University

14700

15400

16200

17000

17800

Admission to ODL programmes

600

650

750

860

1000

Admission to external degrees

41000

43000

45000

47000

49000

Non-state, non-profit HEIs in EngineeringüNon-state, non-profit HEIs in Medicine

üSynchronization of academic calendar
Synchronization of terms between universities will be achieved by 2017.
Though this exercise was initiated in 2003, it could not be achieved due tothe situation that prevailed in the country and disturbances that occurredfrom time to time. Synchronization will allow for the smooth flow ofadmissions and the timely filling of vacancies. When it is coupled withquality assurance and accreditation, synchronization will also facilitate theestablishment of a common credit system, allowing for student mobility andmore focused curriculum choices for students.

13

Goal 2
Improved quality andrelevance of academic
programmes

Objectives

14

2.1.

Establish the National Quality Assurance and Accreditation Council by 2014

2.2.

Improve quality & relevance of curricula, teaching & learning methods andenvironment to achieve an overall graduate employability rate of 95% by
2017

2.3.

Enhance capacity of HEIs to provide adequate training on ‘generic skills’ to all
undergraduates by 2016

2.4.

Increase the proportion of PhDs among academics from 40% (in 2012) to 60%
in 2017

2.5.

Provide internship programmes of at least 6-12 months’ duration to 60% of
students in Humanities and Social Sciences by 2017

2.6.

Introduce lateral and vertical mobility among students in HEIs to 30% by
2017

2.7.

Introduce a credit transfer system into academic programmes so that at least
40% of the study programmes will contain this facility by 2017

We need to produce graduates with wisdom, knowledge
and competency in a chosen field of profession, disciplineor study stream along with a wide array of skills required
for the ‘world of work’. To realize this goal, the quality andrelevance of study programmes will be improved
continuously and vigorously while inculcating values in
the minds of academics and academic support staff inorder to establish a 'quality culture' within HEIs.

Higher education quality assurance andaccreditation council (QAAC)

Bachelors

Bachelors
Hons.

Higher
Diploma

PG Cert.
PG Dip.

It is time that the government looked at
Diploma
MA, MSc
restructuring and infusing new ideas to re-direct
higher education to be more locally relevant
5 6
7
4Advanced
MPhil, DM
and globally competitive. A strong mechanism
Certificate
3
8
for implementing quality improvements,
2
9
Sri Lanka
assurance and accreditation is critical for the
PhD, MD
Certificate
Qualifications
success of university and higher education in
10
1
Framework
any country. Having recognized that this has
been the most complicated issue to be solved across university education in our country, an
independent national QAAC will be established by 2014 with the following objectives:l
To regulate higher education using:I. Standards-based quality higher education and training services
ii. Principles relating to regulatory necessity, risk and proportionalityl
To encourage and promote a higher education system that is appropriate to meet Sri
Lanka's socio-economic needs for a highly capable and skilled populationl
To protect students undertaking higher education in Sri Lanka by providing quality
higher educationl
To ensure that students pursuing higher education have access to information relating
to higher education in Sri Lanka.

Employability of graduates
Enhancing the employability of graduates is a highly
desired function of HEIs, which as centres of
excellence provide facilities for the higher
intellectual needs of a community in terms of bothacademic knowledge and professional training.
'Graduands' employability' can be achieved by
identifying the critical elements in advance andimplementing a relevant strategy for the purpose.
HEIs need to respond strategically to the social
aspirations for higher education and be responsive
to social changes occurring locally and globally.

15

Generic skills
Producing graduates with generic skills has emerged as avital and challenging issue to be considered by the HE
sector. The term 'generic skills' is widely used to refer to arange of qualities and capacities viewed as important inWorldhigher education. They include skills such asClasscommunication, teamwork, leadership, planning and
Graduateorganizing, self and stress management, analyticalthinking and enterprise skills. Our students are
Industry
weak in the areas of English and IT. While
Interface
focusing on core academic knowledge, HEIs
need to launch specific programmes toincrease generic skills to prepare student forSoft Skills
the 'world of work'. This diverse collectionof qualities and capacities will be
blended with academic and technicalTechnical Knowledge
knowledge such as ICT and industry
experience that will result in
graduates with demand in the
Academic Knowledge
labour market.

The leadership training given to
university entrants is not intended tooffer them any military training.
it is intended to give them many
lessons in life, such as discipline,
rectitude and courage by moving with
war heroes who had fought the enemy
face to face with a sense of humanismand decorum.
The leadership training programme will
help produce graduates with a better
mindset than those produced during
the last 30 to 40 years, said Higher
Education Minister S B Dissanayake.
The Minister was addressing a group of
university students who attended a
residential leadership programmme at
the Minneriya Army Camp recently.

16

The Minister who said that heconsidered the new entrants as themost intelligent crop of humanresource produced in 2011 added that
he intended to make them a valuable
batch of children when they passedout from universities.
He said they should enter their faculties
in a victorious mood without being
dejected that they could not enter thefaculty of their choice. He said it was
mostly the Arts and Social Sciences andHumanities faculties that largely
helped to produce philosophers andother learned men.
He would advise students to pursue
their studies as much as possible in
English within the university andimprove their knowledge to suit thejob market.
“Every university had been provided
with computer laboratories to enable
them to improve their technicalknowledge including IT. There was atime when undergraduates wereprohibited from speaking in English,
using library facilities and interactingwith their lecturers. Such a situation
did not exist in universities where
ragging had been completely
eliminated.
“Although our universities could not
claim the Nobel Prize, lecturers had
shown more interest in research workas the President had released thenecessary funding directly to thelecturers and the universities. Mental
and physical health was essential to
make a full blown intellectual. He also
said that sports and physical training
facilities were also being upgraded inuniversities in consultation with
Director General of Sports Sunil
Gunawadena. Director General(Student Activities) Keerthi Mawellage
and Brig. LANS Wanasinghe were alsopresent.
The Minister also addressed university
entrants undergoing leadershiptraining at the Giritale Volunteer Police
School, Galkulama Camp and Talawa
Engineering Training School on thisday.

Key performance indicators

goal 2

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

ü

National Quality and Accreditation Council
Employability of graduates (overall)

Improved quality &relevance of
academic programs

60%

65%

70%

75%

95%

Engineering

94%

96%

100%

100%

100%

Medicine

92%

95%

98%

100%

100%

Science

72%

78%

85%

90%

100%

Agriculture

76%

80%

85%

90%

100%

Management

65%

67%

75%

90%

100%

Arts

35%

42%

55%

60%

80%

Quality assured subjects

90%

95%

100%

100%

100%

Student-centred teaching

15%

30%

50%

75%

90%

Softskills training programmes for students

40%

60%

80%

100%

100%

IT-based training for Arts students

10%

30%

50%

75%

100%

English language skills for students

25%

30%

40%

50%

75%

PhDs among academics

41%

43%

45%

50%

60%

Internship programmes for Humanities and Social
Science students

1%

10%

25%

40%

60%

Internship programmes for Commerce students

70%

80%

90%

100%

100%

Courses with lateral entry

5%

10%

15%

20%

30%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Credit transfer based courses

Teaching is the primary role of higher learning. In order to be
the leader in a worldwide paradigm shift from teaching tolearning highly qualified PhD holders within the teaching
staff are a fundamental need. Thus the capacity of theacademic and academic support staff will be strengthened.
Measures of staff-to-student and Doctorate-to- Bachelors
ratio are considered important variables in university world
ranking systems.

Business as usual is dead,
University as usual is the past17

Goal 3
Strengthened research,innovation andentrepreneurship

Objectives
3.1.

Provide funding to create a vibrant research culture amounting to 10% of theannual capital budget of each HEI

3.2.

Establish a national digital library by 2014

3.3.

Encourage at least one of every four academics to produce an international
publication by 2017

3.4.

Increase public-public and public-private partnerships (engaged in innovation,
research & development and commercialization of new products) by 10%
annually

3.5.

Encourage and facilitate HEIs to receive international awards amounting to atleast 15 per year from 2015

3.6.

Establish at least 100 'Spinoff Graduate Companies' and 'Spinoff University
Companies' by 2016

Conserve& use renewable energy

18

One of the key functions of auniversity is to develop and sustain
a truly excellent dynamic researchsector that promotes social,economic and national well-being,
dissemination of knowledge which
will position Sri Lanka among theworld's educational leaders.

RecycleFunding for research
Enabling and fostering excellent research has to be
the foundation of any HE policy. Research spans theconcepts of ‘fundamental’ to the ‘real-world’, throughan inter- disciplinary approach to knowledge creationand enterprise. A flourishing and vibrant researchsector requires timely and adequate funding and acritical mass of well-motivated researchers.
Our teaching staff need to be active in research at aninternationally competitive level while creating a highacademic culture in HEIs. HEIs need to invest at least
10% annually of its capital expenditure on ‘researchand inventions’ to take the leadership in creating avibrant research culture in Sri Lanka.

r
he
Ot

ital
cap

90%

Funding for research and innovations

Vibrant research culture
The number of available R&D personnel in Sri Lanka is very low. At present, Sri Lanka has approximately
4500 researchers (with a full-time equivalent of 2700) in research-related jobs in the national researchsystem (31 research institutes and 15 universities and a few private sector institutions). This number is
far below that of the countries in the region and the world average of 894 researchers per million.
According to estimates, Sri Lanka has to produce 1000 R&D personnel per year to reach the target of
7500 by the year 2016 and 1800 per year by the year 2021. The situation in HEIs is unsatisfactory with
only about 200 consistently active international level researchers among an academic staff of over
4500. A significant contribution is needed from the entire academic population to create a vibrant andflourishing research culture.
To realize this ambition HEIs need to:lPromote interdisciplinary fields of research providing economic and societal benefits,lStrengthen strategic partnerships through national and international scholars and publicpublic and public-private research alliances,
Facilitate research management through Research Centres comprising a high profile team oflacademics providing focus and identity to enhance research opportunities, performance andfunding,
Promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the creation of enterprise, i.e., ‘Spinoff GraduatelCompanies’ and ‘Spinoff University Companies’.

19University industry linkages
As of today Sri Lanka's literacy rate is 92%, which is the highest literacy rate in South Asia, and overall,
one of the highest in Asia. Per capital income has increased over the last three years placing thecountry in the rank of middle income nations.
As indicated by the World Bank (2009), strong science, technology and innovation linkages between
higher educational institutions and industry are vital in the transition from a low income country to a
middle income country. At present public-public and public-private partnerships specifically in theareas of information technology, engineering processing, banking, finance and insurance are well
below the average for similar developing and standard middle income countries.
UNCTAD - Innovation
Capability
Index

UNIDO - Competitive Industrial
Performance Index
Sweden (1)Korea (19)Singapore (1)Korea (10)Singapore (26)Thailand (54)

Malaysia (60)Philippines (64)

Korea (11)Malaysia (15)
Malaysia (21)Thailand (23)Philippines (25)

USA (1)

Singapore (7)Thailand (28)Mongolia (69)
Sri Lanka (79)India (83)Bangladesh (106)Fiji (68)

Angola (117)

Nepal (69)

Applied Research
Basic Research

State
Higher Education

Mongolia (101)Cambodia (110)

PrivateSource : Science, technology& innovation strategy for Sri Lanka (2013)

Pakistan (92)
Bangladesh (107)
Nepal(114)GlobalCompetitivenessRankings

Timor-Leste (127)

Source: The Global Competitiveness Report 2007;
Out of 131 Countries [The World Bank (2009)]

Source : UNIDO Industrial Development Report 2004;
Rankings out of 93 countries [The World Bank (2009)]

Developmental ResearchIndonesia (54)Philippines (71)

Sri Lanka (79)

Sri Lanka (62)Mali (93)

Source : UNCTAD World Investment Report 2005;
Rankings out of 117 countries[The World Bank (2009)]

Vietnam (68)Pakistan (49)Bangladesh (56)

Pakistan (100)India (48)

Indonesia (38)India (40)Vietnam (82)Indonesia (87)

At the stage of transition from low income to middle income
status HEIs have a pivotal role in elevating the R&D andinnovation capacity of the country. According to theexpenditure on basic, applied and developmental research,
the greater percentage is spent by the industry sector
followed by the HE sector. It has also been recognized that
almost 50% of research facilities belonging to the national
resource institutions have not been utilized by universities.
While increasing R&D in HEIs, the ways and means ofestablishing healthy cooperation and collaboration among
national universities and national research institutions will
be pursued to complement postgraduate and research
capacities that are relatively poorly resourced in the HE
sector.

Graduate and university companies
As an initiative to enhance the contribution to the national economy and innovation by the HE sector,
spinoff graduate and university companies will be introduced. This will be an opportunity forknowledge and technology generated in research laboratories to contribute to commercial products
through value addition.

Research

20

Innovation
products/
processes

Value
addition

Commercial
products/
processes

Funds& otherresources

Graduate/
University
company

goal 3

Strengthened research,goal 2
innovation andentrepreneurship

Key performance indicators

2013
Funds utilized for research (as a percentage of the capital budget)

2014

2015

2016

2017

10%

10%

10%

10%

ü

ü

e-Library system

20%

50%

80%

Articles to be produced in indexed journals as apercentage of the total academics in HEIs

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

15

15

15

Number of filed patents
Units for research and international cooperation

ü

Policy framework and guidelines for national and interinstitutional cooperationüProjects/research in public-public partnerships- at least one by each HEI

15

15

15

30

Projects/research in public-private partnerships- at least one by each HEI

15

15

15

30

Number of products/inventions - at least two productswith “market potential” by each HEI

30

30

30

30

International awards - at least one from each HEI

10

15

15

15

Spinoff university companies- at least one by each HEI

15

30

50

50

Spinoff graduate companies- at least one by each HEI

15

30

50

50

e-Library System

To raise the innovation index of the country as a knowledge economy, it is vital that researchers, especially university academics,
are exposed to research and development information published in scholarly journals. Yet, the ever decreasing budgets,
escalating journal prices, ever-decreasing rupee value and the necessity to allocate funds to develop much needed infrastructure
facilities do not warrant continuous subscription to journals by individual universities. To create a viable environment for
research a 'National e-library' will be established by 2016 with the following objectives: to provide access to thousands ofjournals bundled in the databases in a cost- effective manner; to increase the research productivity of participating universities
with increased access to high quality research publications; and to provide a single entry point to databases / e-journals for all
universities with their diverse research and academic interests.

21

Goal 4
Increased role of HEIs
as strategic partners
in socio economic development
and peace & reconciliation

Objectives

22

4.1.

Transform the composition of the graduates produced by HEIs from the current
ratio of Arts : Management : Science 3:2:5 to Arts: Management: Science:
Technology 2:2:5:1 by 2016

4.2.

Encourage one research project annually by each HEI with emphasis on social
issues and economic development

4.3.

Increase consultancy and advisory services to the industry and community by
10% annually

4.4.

Introduce mandatory course modules on peace and reconciliation studies in all
degree programmes by 2015

4.5.

Establish a centre for fostering national harmony in each HEI by 2014

4.6.

Establish university townships in at least four universities by 2015

As centres of excellence, HEIs need to ensure that theknowledge created and accumulated is applied to thesocio-economic development and well-being of the Sri
Lankan community through sustained collaboration
between all stakeholders. HEIs need to engage with
their regional and local communities to contribute to economic and social
development. Research and projects will be launched with emphasis on'green' to find solutions to ever increasing environmental and health hazards.

Technological courses in universities
The technology stream wasintroduced by the government as thefifth stream of the Advanced Levelcurriculum from 2013 in keeping withmodern trends. UGC is in the processof establishing technology courses ineach university to meet the hugedemand in the job market. Thereby,
the current student ratio of Arts:
Management: Science 3:2:5 will be transformed to Arts:
Management: Science: Technology 2:2:5:1 in order to achieve
greater economic relevance by 2016.

23

Knowledge economy and human capital
Sri Lanka has been transformed from acountry in conflict to a country at peace.
Higher educational institutions as strategic
partners need to promote social, economic,
ethical and cultural values in Sri Lanka's
peaceful, multi-ethnic, multi-religious,
multi-cultural society. In today's competitive
global 'knowledge economy' the economy,social status and development of countries
are strongly tied up with the quality of their'human capital'.

University townships
The University Townships Development concept was launched by MOHE in 2012 as a novel planningapproach to Sri Lanka targeting the development of a university and its surroundings for mutual
benefits to both the local and university community. Through this mechanism universities can better
conduct their activities with explicit links to the surrounding community. This approach can help linkresearch and learning more directly to the community with identifiable mutual gains. Under this project,
shopping malls, hospitals, banks, post offices, libraries, labs and research centres will be set up in theselected university. These facilities can be used by both the town community and the students.
The objective of the township project is to expand the infrastructure facilities of the universities andintegrate the town community and the university. The University Township will be a place for higher
education seekers and for private sector people to invest in higher education and research anddevelopment. In Phase I of the University Township Project, the Universities of Sri Jayewardenapura,
Ruhuna, Moratuwa and Jaffna will be converted into university townships.
Township project
University of Moratuwa

Proposed Cultural Centre&
Multipurpose Facility

Aquarium Sleepovers
Proposed University
SquareFacility Building

University front plaza

Entry square to Cultural
Complex

Proposed Accommodation/
Commercial Building

Arthur C. Clarke Centre

Restaurants

Souvenir Shops

Township project
University of Ruhuna

24

University
Entry squaregoal 3

Key performance indicators

goal7
goal
goal
5 6
goal 4goal 2

Increased role of HEIs as
strategic partners in socioeconomic development andpeace & reconciliation

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

6960 :
4640 :
11600

7320 :
4880 :
12200

7680 :
5120 :
12800

5360 :
5360 :
13400 :
2680

5600 :
5600 :
14000 :
2800

3:2:5

3:2:5

3:2:5

2:2:5:1

2:2:5:1

15

15

15

15

30

Green projects or research in HEIs or for the public,at least one by each HEI annually

10

15

15

15

Consultancy provided to the community/industry- to be increased by 10% annually

10%

10%

10%

10%

30

45

60

100

30

30

30

30

5

6

7

Share of graduates

Arts
Management
ScienceTechnology

Overall ratio (Arts : Management : Science : Technology)
Research on social and economic development- at least one by each HEI annually

National and regional projects- at least one by each HEI annually
Mandatory course modules on peace and reconciliation
studies
Aesthetic cultural and social events conducted annually- at least two events by each HEI

15

ü
30

Harmony clubs in universities for peace building andreconciliation

ü

University Townships (total)

3

e
Peac

tion for social haeconcilla
r
rmo
&
g
in
ny
build

The entire
world is facing a great challenge tolive in a peaceful environment. In a connectedworld, although some people still fail to understand theimportance of multi-culturalism and diversity, UGC as
the apex body of university education spearheads
reconciliation efforts of the university communities tostrengthen the Sri Lankan spirit and contribute to thenation's stability through the establishment ofHarmony Clubs and introduction of peace and reconciliation course modules into the university curriculum. They
will be established in each university as relevant strategies at institutional level to create a society that understands
and enjoys the diversity of people, multi-culturalism and multi-ethnicity.

25

Goal 5
Increased international
cooperation andcompetitivenessObjectives

26

5.1.

Attract at least two international scholars of repute annually as visiting
professors in each HEI

5.2.

Increase enrolment of at least 250 foreign students for undergraduate andpost graduate level programmes in HEIs

5.3.

Promote academic and research collaboration with foreign HEIs amounting
to a 60% increase by 2017

5.4.

Upgrade the international ranking of state universities with at least five HEIs to
be in the top 1000 in the TIMES and QS ranking list by 2017

'Human capital' is one of the key factors in determining the economic andsocial status of a country in today's competitive global knowledge economy.
Educational institutions at all levels have a responsibility for building Sri
Lanka's wealth and developing capacity in order to meet challenges and help
the nation to compete in a global knowledge economy. From thisperspective, HEIs in Sri Lanka have high potential for globalization and to
emerge as world class universities by building 'intellectual capital'. Whilestrengthening the institutional and HR capacities, new strategies will be
formulated to position Sri Lanka as a favourable destination for capturing
emerging opportunities in an increasingly globalised environment.

World class university
International university rankings provide broad-based benchmark comparisons of HEIs across national
borders. Ranking of HEIs are usually based on several indicators such as academic and/or research
performance, including highly cited researches, articles published, articles indexed in major citation
indices, the academic measures for each institution, alumni and staff winning prizes and field medals,
staff-to- student ratios and level of diversification, size of the student population and the quality of theeducational process.
Weighting scheme for rankings scores
The Ranking Web orInternational outlook - staff,
Citations students and research
Webometrics is different toresearch influence
Ratio of international
Citation impact
2.5%
to domestic staff
traditional ranking systems and(normalised average
Ratio of international
citations per paper)30%
to domestic students 2.5%
is considered the largest
Proportion ofacademic ranking used tointernationally coauthored research
2.5%
papersbenchmark institutional
performance based on thevolume of the web content(number of web pages and files)
Research and the visibility and impact ofvolume, income
and reputation
Teaching - thelearning environment
these web publications
Reputational
survey - research 18%
Reputational survey according to the number ofteaching
15%
Research income
external links (site citations) they(scaled)6%
PhD awards per
academic
6%
receive.
Papers per
UGC will implement a series ofactivities to achieve global
excellence. Though some of the
HEIs and activities are on a parwith international standards, ingeneral we have a long way
forward in terms of achieving
world standards. HEIs need toformulate and implement
specific strategies to move up in
the internal ranking indexes andbecome 'world class'.

academic andresearch staff

Undergraduates
admitted per academic 4.5%
Income per
academic

2.25%

PhD awards/
bachelor’s awards

2.25%(Source : www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/, 2013)

Webometrics
rank ofSouth Asian
top 1000
universities(July 2013)

Centre for international affairs (CINTA)Country# of institutes inSouth Asian Top
1000# of Institutes
assessed bywebometrics

Sri Lanka

20

30

Bangladesh

65

100

Bhutan

5

10

India

764

1604

Pakistan

137

300

Nepal

9

23

1000

2068

Maldives
Total

6%

Industry income innovation
Research income
from industry(per academic
staff)
2.5%

1

Because of its strategic location, high(Source : www.webometrics.info, 2013)
academic standards, proficiency in English
and IT, low cost of living and salubrious climate, Sri Lanka shows great promise of becoming an
educational hub in the region through international alliances and strategic partnerships. CINTA will beestablished in all HEIs to achieve the following objectives:l
To create a world class educational experience for students and staffl
To promote and continue involvement and collaboration of international activities in all streamsl
To ensure that the degrees and other qualifications offered by the HEIs are recognizedinternationallyl
To facilitate international mobility for local undergraduate and postgraduate studentsl
To increase the presence of foreign students and scholars in academic and research degrees,(during the next five years the number of foreign students and visiting scholars will be increased
significantly)l
To increase internationalization of research and knowledge exchange activities throughcollaboration and institutional partnershipslTo guide HEIs to achieve their competitive edge through international ranking

27

Sri Lanka study tour of La Trobe University

Visit of Prof. Dr. Matthias Hühn from
Kühne Logistics University, Germany

Memorandum of understanding
between UGC and Jain University, India

A hundred undergraduate
and postgraduate scholarships
for foreign students
MOHE has launched a special programme tooffer 100 undergraduate and postgraduate
scholarships to foreign students from 58
countries. HEIs are encouraged to explore
new avenues to make a notable contribution
to economic and social development while
positioning Sri Lanka as a knowledge hub in theregion.

Visit of Prof. Chunli Bai, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences28

goal 3

Key performance indicators

goal7
goal goal
5 8
goal 4goal 2

Increased international
cooperation andcompetitiveness

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

15

30

30

30

250

350

500

350

400

500

750

International conferences - at least one by each HEI

10

10

15

MOUs signed between foreign universities/research
institutions - at least two for each HEI

15

30

45

Foreign scholars/Professors
Increased international student numbers in HEIs
Undergraduate
Postgraduate

300üCentres for international affairs for all HEIs (CINTA)
Universities in top 2000 webometrics world ranking list

4

5

6

8

Universities in South Asian Top 55

7

9

10

12

3

5

Universities in the top 1000 in the TIMES and QS
ranking list

The University of Colombo recently
entered into an agreement ofcooperation with the Tianjin Medical
University, China, to promoteacademic and cultural exchange
between the two institutions.

29

Goal 6
Improved physical andaesthetic environmentand stakeholder
satisfaction of HEIs

Objectives

30

6.1.

Improve facilities for teaching-learning and research by constructing at least
125 new buildings by 2017

6.2.

Improve recreational facilities and the cultural and aesthetic environment by
10% in 2017 from the existing level

6.3.

Increase welfare facilities for staff and students by 10% in 2017 from theexisting level

6.4.

Provide residential facilities to at least 50% of the student population by 2017

6.5.

Introduce new insurance and pension schemes with increased benefits by 2015

To maximize the contribution of HEIs to students, staff,
employers
and thecommunity
it is essential
to createaTomaximisetherole which
the HEI
delivers
to students, staff,
congenial environment
across the whole
range of activities
andemployers,
community
it is essential
to haveconducive environment
stakeholders.
Academic
research buildings,
laboratories,
acrossall range
ofand
activities
and stakeholders.
equipment, information technology and other infrastructure
will be improved and modernized to create a global experienceof teaching and learning.

Development of Universities in North and East
Special attention is being paid
to the development of
universities located in the North
and East which were affected by
the 30 years of civil strife.
Accordingly, various projects
were launched by the UGC withthe guidance of HE the
President Mahinda Rajapaksa tohelp the civilian population andstudents. These efforts will be
continued to upgrade thefacilities to international
standards.

Faculty of Islamic Studies,South Eastern University of Sri Lanka

Fifth Engineering
Faculty in Sri Lanka
The fifth Engineering
Faculty in Sri Lanka was
declared open by His
Excellency the President
on February 5, 2013 at
the South Eastern
University of Sri Lanka at
Oluvil.

Newly constructed building complex
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science,
Eastern University, Sri Lanka

31

Proposed Faculty of Engineering, University of Jaffna, at Kilinochchi

ProposedAccommodationaccommodation Facilities
facilities forstudents
Proposed
for undergraduates
Undergraduate Students

100 hostels to beconstructed by 2017 toincreaseaccommodation for
more than 17,000
students. This will
provide a 100%
accommodation facility
for all 'eligible students'
based on existing criteria,
and an overall 60% of thetotal student population.

32

38,00032,00026,000

2013

2014

2015

goal 3

Key performance indicators

goal
goal65goal 4goal 2

Physical & aesthetic
environmentand stakeholder
satisfaction of HEIs

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

35

35

20

20

20

HEIs landscaped for beautification - at least 1 HEIs per
year

1

1

1

1

Fully-fledged gymnasium - at least one per year

1

1

1

1

International level playground and pavilion - at least one
per year

1

1

1

1

New academic buildings as per the “Comprehensive 10
year Medium Term Programme”

üInternational standard swimming pool for RUSL as per
the "Comprehensive 10 year Medium Term Programme"
Health centres– at least one per year

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

8

30

22

25

15

36%

40%

44%

46%

50%

Fully fledged administrative facilities - at least one per
year as per the “Comprehensive 10 - year Medium Term
Programme”
100 new hostels (44 to be constructed under the"Comprehensive 10 - year Medium Term Programme”
Students with hostel facilities as a % of total
undergraduate enrolmentsü

Insurance scheme for studentsüInsurance scheme for staff
Pension scheme with enhanced benefitsü

Staff and student satisfaction in the workplace and an educational environment arevital for achieving the strategic goals of higher education. In parallel with thephysical and aesthetic improvements, insurance schemes and pension schemes
will be introduced with increased benefitsT
E N L USDU
ST FF P
TA&S

33

Goal 7
Improved financial
management andsustainability

Objectives

34

7.1.

Improve good governance in financial management by introducing Standard
Reporting Formats (SRF) and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) by 2016

7.2.

Introduce employee-centred finance information systems for UGC and HEIs
by 2016

7.3.

Increase utilization of budgetary allocation from 80% (in 2012) to 100% by
2016

7.4.

Ensure 3Es (economy, efficiency and effectiveness) by increasing resource
utilization of HEIs by 5% annually

7.5.

Increase revenue generation in HEIs by 10% annually

The capacity of HEIs will be strengthened to engage in financial planning on arational basis and to utilise state funds prudently, transparently and efficiently.

Investment plan

Funds allocation per 8 Strategic goals
2013 -2017
Widened participation and equitable
access to higher education

Improved quality and relevance of
academic programmes

10 bn

4 bn

Strengthened research, innovation andentrepreneurship
Increased role of HEIs as strategic
partners in socio-economic
development and peace & reconciliation
Increased international cooperation andcompetitiveness

6 bn

2 bn

4 bn

Improved physical & aesthetic
environment and stakeholder
satisfaction

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

Focused investment is proposed
12 bn
to deliver vital multi11 bn
10 bn
dimensional contributions of
9 bn
HEIs to the well-being of society
7 bn
Capitalthrough increased and widened
grants forparticipation, quality anddevelopmentof HEIs
relevance of academic
programmes, strategic
partnership in socio-economic
development and peace &reconciliation. With the support of the proposed investment in the period 2013-2017, all aspects ofhigher education with a strong emphasis on quality will be improved dramatically to reach world classstandards in order to become the envisioned preferred destination of choice for foreign students andthe academic community.
The investment plan is prepared for achieving the eightstrategic goals for the period 2013-2017. A greater part of thetotal capital investment (about 40%) is allocated to uplift thephysical and aesthetic environment for teaching and learning.
Out of the total capital investment , Rs. 5Bn and Rs. 1.5Bn havebeen allocated to implement University Township projects in
the Universities of Jaffna, Ruhuna and Sri Jayewardenepura forthe period of 2013-2015 and for the year 2013 respectively. In
addition to 138 ongoing construction projects (Rs 27.9 billion),
101 new construction projects have been planned to be
implemented under the Medium Term Programme for2011/2020 with the approval already granted by the Cabinet of
Ministers/ Department of National Budget & Planning and the
University Grants Commission.
20 bn

Improved financial management andsustainability

2 bn

Enhanced good governance andcapacity

2 bnStrategies will be formulated and 10% of the total capital will beutilized for research and development, in order to :=Prioritize the research capacity of HEIs=
Strengthen the overall research base in country

Discussion among senior officials of HEIs
at the workshop on Strategic
Management Plan & the Way Forward

35

Cost of producing
an Engineering
graduate

Cost of producing
a MBBS
graduate
Rs. 2,100,000.00

Rs. 1,100,000.00

Cost of producing
an Arts
graduate
Rs. 525,000.00

Cost of producing
a Management
graduateRs. 600,000.00

2013
2010
18000

Government
Investment in Higher
Education 2008 2013
(Recurrent & Capital
Grants)

2008

16000
14000

Recurrent Grant

12000

Capital Grant

10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Resource utilization
Key input/resources of the university systemshould be utilized in order to achieve theobjectives set out in the strategic plan.
Accordingly, resource utilization should be
improved by ensuring economy, efficiency
and effectiveness. While economy is concernedsolely with the level of input used to achieve
the objectives of HEIs, efficiency looks at theratio between inputs and outputs of HEIs. With
effectiveness in utilizing resources, it isnecessary to address the exact/expected goalsof the HEIs. The annual budget of theGovernment on construction of buildings and36

maintenance of the capital assets of all
universities is approximately Rs 4 billion per
year. This was the pattern during the last few
years, out of which about Rs 500 million has
been allocated annually for maintenance ofbuildings and equipment. By optimizing
resource utilization in existing HEIs, access tohigher education has been increased by 30%
from 2005 to 2010 and this could be further
enhanced. Maximum utilization of resources
will pave the way for increasing student
enrolments in HEIs while reducing the cost per
graduate.

goal 3

Key performance indicators

goal 5goal 4goal 2

2013

Improved financial
management andsustainability

2014

2015

Unique financial format

üStandard budgeting procedure

ü

2016

2017

ü

Standard operating procedure
Redesigned computerized UPF system

üRedesigned computerized Pension system

üFinancial management information system (FMIS)üWeb based cash forecast management systemüWeb based budgeting and monitoring system

üUtilization of budgetary allocations

84%

88%

95%

100%

100%

Utilization of lecture halls and IT facilities (10% annual
increase)

10%

10%

10%

10%

10% annual increase in generated revenue

10%

10%

10%

10%

Generated income
At present out of the total contribution of funds requirements of HEIs about 10% is earned through income
generating activities. Though HEIs have opportunities for income generation to complement limited state funds,
they have not given much effort to make use of them owing to the ambiguity of rules and regulations. The rules
and regulations governing income generating activities will be streamlined. In parallel, new strategies will be
formulated and implemented to achieve at least a 10% increase in contributions annually from the exiting level
through 'earned income' by each HEI. This strategy will gradually reduce dependency on state funds/resources andfacilitate the universities to become entrepreneurial universities through income-generating activities.

37

CONSENSUS
ORIENTEDACCOUNTABLE

PARTICIPATORYFOLLOWS
THE RULE
OF LAW
EFFECTIVEAND
EFFICIENT

GOOD
GOVERNANCE

TRANSPARENT

Goal 8Enhanced good
governance and capacityof UGC and HEIsRESPONSIVEEQUITABLEAND
INCLUSIVE

Objectives
8.1.

Improve administrative competence and technical capabilities of the UGCSecretariat and HEIs

8.2.

Enhance use of IT through IT governance (measured by the IT maturity index)
for improved managerial effectiveness and efficiency from its existing level of
1.00 by 25% annually

8.3.

Introduce a fully computerized and integrated MIS for improved strategicplanning, monitoring and evaluation of HEIs by 2015

8.4.

Ensure a significant improvement in administrative and financial autonomy
and accountability measures of HEIs by 2016

8.5.

Ensure that the human and physical resources in HEIs comply with acceptededucational norms by 2016

Universities are driven by a complex set of cultural andmotivational factors. Though the governance and management
structures of universities are different from those of private
sector organizations in many ways, the impact of HEIs on society
is tremendous. To respond to the multi-faceted challenges
emerging in the national and international arena, governanceand capacity of HEIs will be further improved.

38

Capacity building of staff
In a constantly changing environment of the knowledge
economy, higher education makes vital and many dimensional
contributions to the well-being of the country and her people.
In a knowledge-based sector the performance of the staff in
HEIs is vital. They are the most significant asset and accountfor the highest segment of the cost. Training of staff at alllevels will be regularized and continued throughout theircareer to create a healthy higher education sector.

Skilled, semi-skilled andun-skilled
25%

Teaching staff
32%

Clerical, allied & technical27%

Staff grades
4%
Academic support &other academic staff
12%

IT governance and maturity
GOVERNANCE
VisionAlignment
Assuarance

MANAGEMENTRESOURCES
PeopleTechnology
FinanceSERVICESORGANISATION

Systems
Projects
Service Delivery

Structures
Policies
Decision Making

IT has become one of the key factors to beconsidered in the present and the future of HE as therole of IT in organizational and national
development is significant. Though we haveinvested significantly in information technology, we
have little evidence to justify how IT spending leads
to improved performance of universities. The
existing IT governance structures in HEIs will be
remodeled to align and integrate with the strategicplans to uplift their performance. A good ITG
framework addressing the issues arising frominternal and external forces can make a great
contribution to the strategic achievements of HEIs.

IT governance framework (Source: Joint Information System Committee, 2008)

Inital1

Repeatable
2

Defined
3

Managed Optmised
5
4

University
average value

Management information
systemNonexistent0

Sri Lanka

IT governance has to be an integral part ofcorporate governance of HEIs. The successof IT governance could be measured withthe ‘capability maturity index’. The average
maturity value of universities on a global
level is around 2.5 (scale 0 to 5). According
to a study done by UGC, the same in our
HEIs is around 1.00. HEIs need to uplift thestatus of maturity of ITG. Centralized IT
units will be established/strengthened inorder to convert IT into a strategic partnerfrom its present roll as ‘hardware provider’.

A comprehensive management information system that gives thestaff easy access to information on students, faculty, staff, finances,and infrastructure will be set up at the UGC to monitor funds,
production of outputs and their impact. A parallel graphical interface
system mapping and integrating HEIs will be set up for planning andmonitoring infrastructure development and environmental issues.

39

40

goal 3

Key performance indicators

goal 4goal 2

2013

Enhanced good
governance and capacityof UGC and HEIs

2014

2015

2016

2017

Induction training programmes for administrative andfinancial officers

80%

100%

100%

100%

Administrative and other executive officers withpostgraduate and professional qualifications

30%

35%

40%

45%

Administrative and other executive officers with foreign
exposure - 10% per year

10%

25%

35%

50%

Administrative and other executive officers with local
training

20%

40%

60%

80%

1.70

2.00

ü

Centralized IT units in HEIs
Status of IT governance maturity in HEIs

1.00

1.20

1.40

Web-based university admission and student portalü

MIS for UGC and HEIsüü‘Annual UGC-University Event' Awards
scheme for HEIs' achievements of strategic plans.

ü

ü ü

ü

Universities (Amendment) Actü

Manuals of procedure
Teacher: student ratio for Science- based courses

1:13

1:12

1:11

1:10

1:10

Teacher: student ratio for courses in the Humanities andSocial Sciences

1:20

1:19

1:18

1:17

1:17

Teacher: student ratio for clinical courses

1:8

1:8

1:7

1:7

1:7

Vacant cadre positions (teaching staff)

30%

15%

10%

5%

2%

Vacant cadre positions (non-teachingstaff)

20%

15%

10%

5%

2%

New Universities Act
To strengthen the existing provisions in the
Universities Act in accordance with the current
policies of the Government and including newprovisions to accommodate global changes inhigher education, the present Universities Act willbe amended or a new Universities Act will be
introduced.

41

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42

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