Sri Lanka faces a great challenge where limited human capital with higher education degrees are unable to meet the demands of a developing market. According to the population census of 2012, only 4 percent of the age 25 years and above have degree-level qualifications. This is mainly due to the higher education system catering only to a very small share of the population of the country. Annually around 18,000 Sri Lankan students are estimated to go overseas for higher education opportunities. Those who cannot afford overseas education have been increasingly looking into the domestic market for alternative options.

In order to bridge this gap, 7 leading  non state higher education institutes in Sri Lanka have come together to form an umbrella organisation for non-state higher education in the country. The Sri Lanka Association of Non State Higher Education Institutes (SLANSHEI) has been set up with a broad vision of providing quality and relevant Higher Education opportunities to a wider section of the society.

SLANSHEI is committed to working with the relevant Ministries in Sri Lanka in building Human Resource Capacity of the country so the youth are equipped with skills relevant to the development programmes of the country.

The Association has widened from 7 members to 10 active members within the past few years and includes the following:

• Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT)
• Colombo International Nautical & Engineering College (CINEC)
• Horizon Campus
• South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM)
• Aquinas University College
• Institute of Chartered Accountants Sri Lanka (ICASL)
• Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT)
• Saegis Campus
• Gateway Graduate School
• KAATSU International for Undergraduate-studies (KIU).

SLANSHEI also hopes to promote Sri Lanka’s academic programmes in overseas markets and brand Sri Lanka as a destination for quality higher education and thereby showcasing Sri Lanka as a knowledge hub. They participated in their first Education Fair which was held in Nepal in July 2017. The association also provides a minimum of 50 scholarships through its member institutes.

With reference to a previous article titled ‘An Interest free loan for Advance Level qualified students to follow a degree at a Non-State Higher Education Institute’, it is noted that students of member institutes from SLANSHEI are eligible to apply for these government funded loans.

If you wish to obtain further information on latest market developments in Sri Lanka, please write to Nishika Hassim - Manager Higher Education and International Education Services at Nishika.Hassim@britishcouncil.org