The objective of the project is to accord high priority to improve the employability of the graduates where the graduate unemployment is high, such as in the fields of Arts, Humanities, General Sciences and in the External Degree programmes. The project will assist to improve IT and English language skills, and soft skills such as the ability to work in teams, industriousness, entrepreneurship and good communication of the undergraduates.
The project will also pay special attention to development of Higher Education Institutions in the lagging regions, particularly in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces.The agreement for the project was signed by Dr. P.B.Jayasundera,Secrtary, Ministry of Finance and Planning on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka and Ms. Naoko Ishii, Country Director for the World Bank in Sri Lanka on behalf of the World Bank.
The government is also to establish bilateral relations with Chinese Universities for facilitating the Chinese students to study in our Universities and reciprocally our students to study in the Chinese Universities. The Cabinet of Ministers recently gave approval to the Minister of Higher Education to pursue discussion in this regard and sign an MOU with the Unan University of China.
In the meantime, the Minister of Higher Education, Mr. S.B.Dissanayake has said that he is making arrangements to offer Sri Lankan degrees for foreign students for U.S.$ 5,000. The Minister is making every effort to get foreign Universities established thereby making it mandatory for these Universities to offer 20% of enrolment to Sri Lankan students and attract foreign students to enroll in our Universities.(niz).
Courtesy: Government Information Department
