Business Education

Affordable cost, a priority:

CMA students top 7500

Hathoon Sheriffdeen

The number of passed Management Accountants under the Society of Certified Management Accountants (CMA) Sri Lanka has reached 60 this year. CMA is a local body of accountants moderated by the Canadian CMA, President, CMA Prof, Lakshman R Watawala, said.

“We are the local governing body of CMA qualifications and concern the practices of management accountants and changes to laws and standards in the country. Our code of conduct changes according to the local changes of taxation rules and accounting standards, he said.

CMA is gradually improving from its entry to the market. We act as a managing, reviewing and regulating body of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka. Our records show that the total number of registered students is 7500 this year. The membership numbering 1250, includes associates and fellowship holders, Watawala said.

The regulating body of CMA and the trainers of CMA has decided to conduct the technician and intermediate stages in Sinhala and Tamil medium starting from this year.

“ We think we can fulfill the employability gap in the provinces outside Western Province by this step. The country has a portfolio of employment opportunities out of the Western Province. People in the area can use them by learning in their mother tongue. We wanted to address this through our study programme.

We also wanted to give a chance to qualification seekers in the management accountancy field at an affordable cost. Students can qualify as a CMA Management Accountant in a maximum of two to three years, spending one tenth of the fee of the foreign management accountant qualification equivalent to CMA.

“ To maintain the standard we are conducting the upper levels in the English medium, The approved educational bodies to conduct the classes are IAS, JMC and the CBS in Sri Lanka. The study programmes and question papers are monitored by the CMA Canada regularly to maintain high standards, he said.

HNB spearheads Student Managers Conference

The Hatton National Bank (HNB) in its efforts inculcate the savings habit among young school going children spearheaded the Student Managers Conference, to set the wheels in motion of the bank’s efforts of bringing the savings habit at school level.

The bank was instrumental in setting up 152 student savings units in a number of schools in the country over the last few years and appointed students managers and trained them to carry out banking functions at school level.

The bank this year took steps to revive these units with a series of special student manager conferences held in Colombo, Galle, Tissamaharama, Kurunegala and Kandy with the intention of instilling the values of learning to save whilst also learning the proper techniques of money management.

These conferences also aimed at building the savings habit among students for the benefit of their future, developing knowledge about banking among students, identifying schoolchildren as potential customers of the bank and participating in school development activities along with the assistance of students and the teachers of schools.

The Student Manager Conference also emphasised on making the student develop a positive outlook towards life and take up the challenges of managing a mini bank at school level.

The Student Managers conference is a continuation programme conducted by the Hatton National Bank to bring the younger generation of Sri Lanka into the threshold of the country’s activities particularly in the finance sector.

The conferences held looked at other key areas other than banking and savings and gave insightful knowledge about leadership, personality development, time management etc for the aspiring student manager.

The bank has been utilising its own resources, time, energy and staff to carry out this exercise during the past several years.

The conference also allows schoolchildren to gain insights on what is happening in the global business world and advises the student managers to build communication skills to update their knowledge according to the present trend in global technology development to reach their goals in life.

A special incentive scheme was also introduced for the student managers to encourage students in the respective schools to save more.

All student managers and teachers who participate in this conference were presented with gift tokens of appreciation for the dedicated service rendered to their respective school units.

The bank stands strong in the fact that the savings habit should be started off with small initiatives by teaching the younger generations the value of the savings habit.

The bank has also feels that students from a young age must be given an insight into the business world helping them not only to inculcate the savings habit but also to nurture financially competent individuals with the capabilities to take on any type of challenge.

Aquinas, London College tie-up for hospitality courses

The Aquinas College of Higher Studies, a degree awarding institute prepares graduates for hospitality industry success.

The expansion of hotels and restaurants throughout the world has increased the demand for qualified and knowledgeable employees who are ready to excel in the world of lodging and food service.

The Aquinas - LCD Hospitaliy Management Programme provides the perfect start for students looking for a competitive edge in the hospitality industry.

London College Dublin, founded in 1999 has become one of Dublin’s Leading Business, Hotel Management and English Language Schools.

Their panel of lecturers, trainers and staff are committed to meeting the academic and professional needs of the students.

Teachers are carefully selected to nurture and develop a friendly and a caring atmosphere that makes London College Dublin special. The Aquinas College of Higher Studies was established by the late Rev. Fr. Peter A. Pillai, in 1954 with the inspiration and assistance of the late Thomas Cardinal Cooray, Archbishop of Colombo.

Aquinas College is registered with the Tertiary and Vocational Educational Commission of Sri Lanka to conduct courses and examinations at the tertiary level.

The College is also affiliated to the International Federation of Catholic Universities in Paris. Aquinas hold a pre-eminent position in the socio-economic life of the country.

Aquinas College of Higher Studies was awarded the status of a degree awarding institute by the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka in 2004.