Mobitel, Edinburgh Napier University launch MBA programme

September 12, 2011, 12:00 pm
The Island



SLT Chairman Nimal Welgama (left) and Prof George Stonehouse, Dean Edinburgh Napier University, shake hands on the deal. Pic by Sajith Jayasekera.

By Hiran H. Senewiratne

Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel entered into a partnership with a UK-based university which would allow MBA students follow courses via the telco’s mLearning platform.

The MBA programme for aspiring Sri Lankan executives has been launched by Scotland’s Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) and Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel.

In a global first, the new MBA programme will be delivered via Mobitel learning platform, allowing students to follow lectures in an interactive virtual classroom environment, a joint statement said.

"Students enrolled in the course will be able to interact with lecturers on a face-to-face level through the learning platform, and will graduate with a UK qualification.

"The online degree programme is on par with other Edinburgh Napier University MBA degrees and has been designed to fit the busy working life of Executives and to be as flexible as possible.

Students also have the option to add further value to their studies by spending a semester at the Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland," the statement said.

Sri Lanka has immense potential to emerge as a prominent knowledge hub in the region, because we are one of the best performing countries in the regions where the education sector is concerned, Chairman Sri Lanka Telecom Nimal Welgama said.

"We are now in an even better position to further capitalize on the fast development infrastructure and make higher education more accessible to our people with the end of the conflict," Welgama said at the launch

He said that following the success of this partnership the next step was to facilitate students to follow courses with international patronage, which resulted in their partnering with a reputed university such as the Edinburgh Napier.

"This type of arrangement would enable students to pursue higher education at their own convenience by bridging the gap between time and accessibility via mLearning," he said.

PMC only intent on making money – GMOA

September 12, 2011, 12:00 pm
The Island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) yesterday claimed that the Private Medical College (PMC) at Malabe enrolled students every six months, not to contribute to medical education in the country, but to rake in more and more money.

GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Sankalpa Marasinghe said that the country has eight State medical faculties, but none of them enrolled students every six months.

"Normally, students sit the GCE (A/L) examination only once a year," he said querying how the PMC enrolled two batches in one year.

Dr. Marasinghe said that Malabe PMC did not deposit any payment with the government, but even in India, a private medical college deposits Indian rupees 2-3 billion. Otherwise, the government would not be responsible for the institution. But here, the government gifted the PMC Rs. 500 million of public money, he said.

The GMOA also accused some media personnel of being entertained by the Malabe PMC through its Rs. 20 million PR budget to write in its favour.

The Malabe PMC was to operate under the Company Act and it was registered as a investment company owned by Dr. Neville Fernando, he said adding that according to the Act, a person who was over 70 years of age could not hold the ownership of a company and it should have a board to manage it.

"A 1,000-bed hospital is a must to start a medical college, but Malabe PMC is repeatedly cheating students and their parents by only showing a hospital plan without even starting any construction," the GMOA Assistant Secretary said.

He said that Malabe PMC attempted to show parents that they had an academic agreement with a Russian university, but it was totally false.

The medical college clearly would produce only half – baked doctors.

Dr. Marasinghe said that short-sighted politicians could say anything to justify their poor decisions, but most of private medical colleges even in India were known to give kickbacks, according to the British Medical Journal.

"Several times in India, it has proved that politicians and other officials were bribed by businessmen and approved private medical colleges," he said adding it would be the same in Sri Lanka.

According to an article written by Dr. Mahinda Kommalage and published in The Island newspaper, Dr. Marasinghe said many new private medical colleges were setup in the past decade in India but a study in Maharashtra State found that most private medical colleges do not have adequate infrastructure, academic staff, nonacademic staff or facilities (British Medical Journal 2004;328:70).

He said that often in India they charged fees not commensurate with the cost of facilities provided to students and cost of establishing the colleges or the facilities. Shortage of academic staff was between 50% and 63%. Many staff members were working on a part-time basis on very low salaries as low as 2,000 rupees per month. Shortage of non-academic staff was between 60% and 70%. Reports say that although teaching beds were available, there were no adequate patients for clinical teaching-learning process.

"Sri Lanka would have to face the same situation if the government allows private medical colleges here," Dr. Marasinghe said.

 

Universities not hampered by sick notes

September 12, 2011, 9:48 pm

The Island

by Nilantha Madurawala

The academic activities of the universities were not interrupted due to the sick note campaign launched by the administrative staff and the non-academic staff of the universities, University sources yesterday said.

The examination that was to be held at several Universities had to be postponed and the new date would be fixed, authorities said.

Sources said that the work at the University Grants Commission was interrupted due to the sick note campaign.

A spokesman for the Joint Trade Union Alliance said that if the issue in question was not resolved in a satisfactory manner, the alliance would resort to stern trade union action.

He said that the report, prepared by the University Grants Commission on the salary anomalies, was handed over to the Higher Education Ministry on September 10 and there was no response with regard to it from the authorities.