Enriching Teaching, Learning and Assessment and English Language Skills Enhancement (ELTA-ELSE) outcome showcasing conference titled To Be AHEAD: From Theory to Practice, and Beyond was held at the Lotus Hall, BMICH on 9th of August 2023. The chief guest of this conference’s closing ceremony was the Chairman of the University Grants Commission, Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunge.
Enriching Teaching, Learning and Assessment (ELTA) and English Language Skill Enhancement (ELSE) represent a main result area of the AHEAD operation, Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development Project which is a World Bank funded project under the Ministry of Education.
This conference successfully showcased its profound outcomes in towards transforming the teaching, learning and assessment process in the state universities in the country. It was emphasized that this results area of the AHEAD Project could reach all its originally designed targets, i.e., to develop academic excellence and socio-emotional skills of the undergraduates, and enhancement of English Language Skills during the last four challenging years. So that the graduate will be productively employed.
Addressing the closing ceremony, the chief guest, Prof. Sampath Amaratunge said that through this project, a step forward was taken to change the mindset of our undergraduates and that itself will have a long-lasting effect in the future attitude development in Sri Lanka.
Dr. Harsha Aturupane, Lead Economist – World Bank, the Guest Speaker addressing the gathering said that the future of higher education will be strongly influenced by developments such as the rise of AI (artificial intelligence) and related technology. We will witness AI make certain jobs disappear; new jobs emerge; and existing jobs implemented with new technology and new skills, and that it is necessary to prepare graduates to embrace the new world of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He further mentioned that the World Bank is ready to support Sri Lanka higher education as it seeks to face future challenges.
The Project Director, AHEAD and the Vice Chairman of the University Grants Commission, Prof. Chandana P. Udawatte also addressed the gathering.
Commission Members of the University Grants Commission, Ministry Officials from the Ministry of Education, Several Vice Chancellors, Deans of Faculties, Heads of Departments and all the project winners joined this occasion.
The entire AHEAD team was always in support of the success of this conference.
