IBSL falls in line with current trends

by Lalin Fernandopulle

The Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL), the premier banking institute in the country has lined up a series of academic programs keeping pace with the current global banking and financial trends.

The MBA degree program conducted in collaboration with UK based universities is the flagship program that would commence next year, which would carry international recognition with the Institute's tie up with the Chartered Institute of Bankers, London.

IBSL which was established in 1964 as the Bankers Training Institute (BIT) offering short-term courses for selected groups of employees from each bank had expanded and grown now today as a professional banking body recognised by the University Grants Commission and all financial organisations in the country. Director General, IBSL, Gamini Sarath said.

The objective of IBSL is to create professionals for the financial world, and the Institute welcomes students who are prepared to undergo comprehensive training not only in banking and finance for academic purposes only but also to enhance working, communication and leadership skills as well.

It is the Institute's belief that imparting academic knowledge alone for paper qualification will not help students to achieve success but only sound leadership and management training parallel with banking studies would give a better footing for those aspiring, to pursue professional careers, Sarath said.

The distance learning program commencing next year will help students in the rural to develop their banking and finance skills and in turn contribute to the growth of the community. The poor have to be helped to think rich.

The feeling of being poor will not help them to rise up but instead, make them poor forever. Our programs should help people to always be economically better from what they are. It is then that the community and the country could develop. The continuous professional development is another vital training where candidates seeking employment are groomed to be disciplined and cultured.

Cultivation of good working culture that would make employees productive, dynamic and efficient, he said. Today there is severe dearth of good corporate leaders and it is the obligation on the part of academic institutes to train professionals in all sectors who could steer the growth machinery of the country.

IBSL is focused on training the young and dynamic students who would be great personalities in the finance world.