Universities as centres of excellence

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

Initiatives have been taken by the Government to convert universities as centres of excellence since university education has to cater the present day requirements while understanding the global trends in education, Higher Education Minister Professor Wishva Warnapala said.

Accordingly, the Eastern University also should be a centre for excellence within the next few years the Minister said yesterday while addressing the administrative and academic staff of the Eastern University.

The meeting was held at the University Grants Commission (UGC) auditorium to discuss development projects which come under the Nagenahira Navodaya program.

“Under the Nagenahira Navodaya program, the Government has allocated Rs.420 million for infrastructure development of the Eastern University. All universities are open to all communities irrespective of where the university is situated.

In other words, there will not be Universities named as Sinhalese University, Tamil University or Muslim University. Therefore it is a duty of administrative and academic staff to make the student community aware about the value of coexistence.

As everyone is aware Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim students are reading for degrees in the same university in brotherhood,” Minister Warnapala said. At the World Bank meeting held last week, the World Bank has emphasized in their report that Higher Education in Sri Lanka should be the gateway to the development of the country.

The same vision was expressed in the report of the UNESCO Education Ministers’ conference held last month. Therefore higher education plays a major role in the development of the country,” the Minister added.