Meeting with Regional Director for British Council South Asia

Maarya Rehman – Country Director British Council Sri Lanka, hosted representatives of SLANSHEI to a breakfast meeting at Movenpick Hotel on 30 September 2022. The meeting, with the objective of promoting better relations between Sri Lankan Higher Education providers and the United Kingdom, was attended by Adrian Chadwick – Regional Director British Council South Asia and his team in Sri Lanka and Dr. Athula Pitigala-Arachchi, President of SLANSHEI and a team of SLANSHEI representatives. The meeting was an opportunity to hold a fruitful exchange of ideas to set up a basis for further discussion and collaboration.

Standing from Left: Sanjeewani Munasinghe – Head of Programs BC, Chathura Kotagama –  General Manager, ESOFT, Nizam Razzaq – committee member SLANSHEI, Upul Daranagama – IPP SLANSHEI, Dr. Athula Pitigala-Arachchi – President SLANSHEI, Marya Rehman  – Country Director, BC, Adrian Chadwick – Regional Director BC, Sajeewa Meepage – Manager Insights & Engagement -South Asia, BC, Aushyani Samarasinghe, Saegis, Zeenath Hidaya – Executive Coordinator SLANSHEI, Fr. Malcom Candappa – Committee Member, SLANSHEI

Adrian Lauded the efforts of SLANSHEI in bringing together the key non-state HE providers of the country to work towards a shared vision despite the obvious competition in the market. The steps taken by the association to improve access and equity through IFSLS as well as the overarching goal of improving quality of higher education in the country to make it a regional hub for education is commendable. Collaboration of this nature forms a healthy setting to develop the sector while being competitive.

The participants had a fruitful discussion on British Higher Education in the country and possibilities of further strengthening the relationship with UK. The potential for the sector’s growth and the possibility of establishing better frameworks for collaboration both in education and research was a focal point of the discussion. The meeting ended on an optimistic note on the opportunity to further expand the Transnational Education in Sri Lanka.