Rajarata University of Sri Lanka

Enhancing Governance, Management and Reform in Sri Lankan Universities through Non-Academic Staff Training / ENACT

Project Team – Rajarata University of Sri lanka

Prof. P.M.B. Jayathilake – Vice Chancellor 
Dr. Lalith Senarathne – Coordinator
Mr. A.M.G.B. Abeysinghe – Registrar
ENACT Member
Mr. S.S.K Godakumbura – Bursar
ENACT Member
Mr. S.A.I Somarathna – Deputy Registrar
ENACT Member
Mr. W.B Dissanayaka – Senior Assistant Registrar
ENACT Member
Mrs.Kalpana Nathiparan – Assistant Registrar
ENACT Member
Mr.D.M.R.Samantha – Assistant Bursar
ENACT Member
Mrs. K.C.K Jayasinghe – Management Assistant
Secretary and Member, ENACT Project
The Project focuses precisely on the neglected issue of skills and capacity building of non-academic staff members which directly affect on the overall performance of the higher educational institutions.

Overall Objectives of the Project
To enhance the
• governance,
• management and
• operations of Universities in Sri Lanka
by building the knowledge and skills of non-academic staff, in view of
• enhancing organizational performance and
• supporting current and future modernization efforts and reforms in higher education.


Specific Objectives of the Project
• To enhance Sri Lankan Universities’ knowledge and good practices base in key areas of governance and management and to engage them in collaborative design, delivery and assessment of a relevant and feasible training program for non-academic staff.
• To improve through training and international exposure the knowledge, skills and attitudes of non-academic staff in the Sri Lanka partner universities
• To put in place institutional strategies and support structures in the Sri Lanka partner universities enabling a long-term commitment to the training and professional development of non-academic staff.
• To serve as a flagship initiative, providing recommendations for actions applicable to the national higher education system and inspiring other universities to develop adequate strategies and plans for the professional development of their non-academic staff.

Target Group
• Non-academic staff of the Sri Lankan partner Universities.
• Primary target group is administrative staff, which comprises Administrative, Financial and other Executive Officers who are engaged in administration and management of resources, funds, material and personnel coming under the purview of the Universities.
• In addition to that target academic support staff, library staff, technical staff and clerical and allied staff.

Grant Partners

Grant Partners Partner UniversitiesCountryTotal Budget (in EUR)
Eastern UniversitySri Lanka92,421.00 
University of PeradeniyaSri Lanka82,616.00 
Sri Lanka Technological CampusSri Lanka77,010.00 
University of MoratuwaSri Lanka70,505.00 
Rajarata University of Sri LankaSri Lanka69,875.00 
University of RuhunaSri Lanka69,855.00 
Programme Universities  
Varna University of Management (VUM)Bulgaria44,342.00 
Instituto Superior Técnico, UniversityPortugal49,245.00 
George-August University of GoettingenGermany62,930.00 
Masaryk UniversityCzech Republic50,845.00 
European Centre for Quality Ltd.Bulgaria51,682.00 

Project Activities

ACTIVITY 1: Joint development of a relevant training Curriculum
• Reflecting the training needs the Sri Lanka non-academic staff and reflects global practices.
• Areas of training Human Resource Management
o University Administration
o Financial management
o Project management
o Accounting and auditing
o Soft skills
o Skills to support and cope with internationalization
o Skills to support equality and diversity

ACTIVITY 2: Training a first cohort of future trainers/multipliers
• At least 75 non-academic staff members in Sri Lanka partner universities will be trained as trainers
• Work shop1: Transnational training workshop on building skills and capacity to support and cope with internationalization, Venue: Masaryk University, Czech Republic
• Work shop 2: Transnational training workshop on modern practices in Human Resource management, university administration and financial management, Venue: George-August University of Goettingen
• Work shop 3: Transnational training workshop on soft skills building, Equality and Diversity, Venue: Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal

ACTIVITY 3: Developing training resources, training of non-academic staff in local conditions, sustainability and exploitability planning
• Build institutional and human resource capacity to uptake, promote, develop and support the exploitation of the training curriculum
• Training of 180 non-academic staff within Sri Lanka partner universities
• Developing training resources suitable for training in the above-described areas

ACTIVITY 4: Quality control – continuous supporting activity
Creating teamwork spirit and responsibility, transparency on quality issues

ACTIVITY 5: Dissemination
• Creating ownership among the target group and beneficiaries
• Awareness raising
• Stakeholder management
• Providing policy recommendations
• Final national-level dissemination conference

Expected Outcomes
• Built skills and knowledge, international exposure, shared good practices, improved motivation and work ethics
• Improved administrative services offered by the University and more efficient non-academic processes and procedures
• Enhanced internationalization
• Enhanced good governance
• Replicable and transferable model for improving non-academic staff skills and thus enhancing university performance

Under the ENACT project few non academic staff members of Rajarata University along with Vice Chancellor got the opportunity to participating a workshop held in 16th May 2022 to 20th May 2022.

Coordinator

ENACT Project

Dr. Lalith Senarathna
Ph.D. (Sydney), M Med Sci (Newcastle), Grad IChem
 
Telephone0252266757
Emaillalith@as.rjt.ac.lk