The University of Kelaniya (UKelaniya), located just outside of Colombo, Sri Lanka was established in 1875, became a university in 1959 and received its current name in 1978. Today, UKelaniya is a major university in Sri Lanka with two main campuses, seven locations, and six faculties. In 2019, UKelaniya was one of four higher education institutions that was approved by the Asian Development Bank to foster science and technology in Sri Lanka’s higher education sector (for more information, click here). “To achieve higher incomes and better standards of living, the Sri Lankan government aims to transform the country to a knowledge-based economy by 2025, with education playing a key role,” said ADB Country Director in Sri Lanka Ms. Sri Widowati. “To this end, the project will help nurture a new breed of technology-oriented graduates equipped with skills and entrepreneurial spirit for the economy.”
This pilot project between UW–Madison and the University of Kelaniya focuses on University of Kelaniya’s vision to become a “centre of excellence in [the] creation and dissemination of knowledge for sustainable development” and its mission to “nurture intellectual citizens through creativity and innovation, who contribute to the national development”.
This project is designed to foster faculty capacity among UKelaniya’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) faculty by integrating new teaching approaches, engaging in inclusive practices, integrating technology, and designing effective assessments into their courses. UW–Madison will be responsible for:
- Developing more professional development opportunities focused on learner-centered classrooms;
- Providing training regarding the incorporation and integration of technology into the classroom;
- Aligning assessments with teaching/learning goals;
- Training on research-integrated teaching and learning/teaching as research;
- Establishing a center for higher education research and teaching practice; and
- Developing faculty training programs for new faculty onboarding and outreach.