IBSL launches BA (Hons) in Leadership and Management

The Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL) will launch a BA (Hons) degree in Leadership and Management on March 30 said the Chairman IBSL, W. A. Wijewardena.

Students who completed the Diploma in Banking and Finance or the ACBF could proceed to the Northumbria University in UK and complete the final year but with the launch of the degree program in Sri Lanka students will be able to complete the degree at a fraction of the cost they would have to spend if they went to the UK.

He said that the degree program is offered in Sri Lanka over a period of one year and is supported by individual guidance and induction by the Northumbria University UK. Wijewardena said that a person who wishes to get a banking qualification can do it with either Ordinary Level examination or Advanced Level examination results and continue studies upto an MBA.

The modules in the degree program include leadership, understanding strategy, leading innovation and change and the submission of a project.

Once a student obtains the Diploma in Banking and Finance if interested he can continue to do an MBA at the Post Graduate Institute of Management Northumbria University UK or at the ICFAI in India provided he fulfils the requirements.

Wijewardena said that Northumbria University is ranked among the top 20 universities in the UK and among the top 300 universities in the world and is funded by the British government.

BMS, a UK education specialist and the local representative for Northumbria University in Sri Lanka facilitated the partnership between the University and the IBSL.

The salient feature of our exam structure is that we not only test the knowledge of the students but also the skills of the students. As the marking criteria is strict a student should obtain 51 marks to get an ordinary pass in any subject they sit.

He said that most banks insist that Banking Assistants pass the CBF to obtain promotions while getting through the DBF also is duly recognised by most State and private banks.

He said that our qualifications have opened many avenues for bankers and financial industry personnel to secure jobs in the Middle East as well as in the western world. IBSL offers the CBF and DBF in collaboration with the School of Finance, UK formally known as the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB) London.