The European Centre for Quality (ECQ) took part in the Dissemination Conference titled “Creating Sustainable Change: Enhancing University Governance and Management by Empowering Non-academic Staff.” The event was held at the prestigious Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 19th of November 2024 and brought together renowned academics, administrators, and policymakers to discuss innovative approaches to university governance, management and non-academic staff upskilling.
Conference Highlights
The conference commenced with a warm welcome address by Prof. Veranja Karunaratne, Vice Chancellor of SLTC Research University, followed by an insightful opening speech by Prof. Vallipuram Kanagasingam, Vice Chancellor of Eastern University, Sri Lanka, representing the coordinating institution of the ENACT project. The morning’s keynote address, delivered by Senior Prof. H.H.D.N.P Opatha, Chair of HRM at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, emphasized critical lessons for achieving and sustaining personnel excellence.
Ms. Nishanthi Nirumithan, Coordinator of the ENACT project, and Ms. Christina Armutlieva, Director of International Cooperation at Varna University of Management, Bulgaria, presented the project’s achievements and key outcomes, highlighting the significant strides made in empowering non-academic staff across participating institutions.
Engaging Discussions and Key Outcomes
The conference featured two panel discussions:
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- Morning Session: “Building Global Competencies: The Role of Internationalization in Higher Education” examined the transformative impact of international partnerships in fostering global competencies among university staff and students.
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- Afternoon Session: “Driving Excellence: Best Practices in HR, Financial Management, Soft Skills, and Leadership” delved into actionable strategies for institutional development and personal growth of non-academic staff.
Both sessions underscored the importance of international collaboration, professional development, and capacity building in creating sustainable change in higher education institutions.
Looking Ahead
The Dissemination Conference concluded with a summary and way forward presented by Dr. Lalith Senarathna, Coordinator of the ENACT project at Rajarata University of Sri Lanka. The closing remarks from Ms. Nishanthi Nirumithan expressed gratitude to all stakeholders for their contributions and commitment to the project’s success.
ECQ remains dedicated to support the ENACT consortium in pushing forward innovation in education and governance. The insights gained from this conference will hopefully inform future initiatives aimed at empowering non-academic university staff, improving institutional governance, and driving sustainable development in the higher education sector in Sri Lanka.
