MoU to offer degree programs in UK

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

jj@sundayobserver.lk

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed last week between the Northern Consortium United Kingdom (NCUK) and the Ceylinco Education Group to offer local and international students an opportunity to pursue degree programs in prestigious universities in the United Kingdom.

The signatories to the agreement were the Deputy Chairman Ceylinco Education Group, Jagath Alwis and the Chief Executive NCUK Ms. Jean Krasocki. The American National College, is a higher education provider for US, and Australian undergraduate programs. It is a BOI approved tertiary education institution under the umbrella of Ceylinco Education Group. With the signing of the MoU, local and foreign students, will now have an opportunity to be transferred to 11 prestigious universities in the United Kingdom, under a student transfer program.

Alwis said the signing was a historic event for the education sector in the country. He said the American National College has already transferred more than 1,000 students to various universities in different countries. Sri Lankan students will have an opportunity to access quality education and compete with other foreign students. Several students from the Maldives and other neighbouring countries already pursue their studies at the ANC, he said,.

"ANC's primary objective has been to give young people today a chance to embark on world-class university education, with cost effectiveness and the wide diverse curriculum we offer right here in Sri Lanka. The UK partner universities include eleven leading UK Universities where four belong to the elite Russel Group of UK Universities. We offer Sri Lankan students access to top UK universities at an affordable cost, he said."

The Northern Consortium United Kingdom (NCUK) has a twenty-year history of undergraduate student transfer program worldwide. The Universities International Foundation Year (IFY) and the International Diploma programs (IDP) courses are delivered at the ANC.

Chief Executive NCUK, Jean Krasocki said NCUK's heritage is unrivalled in the UK and throughout its twenty-year history. Over 13,500 students have progressed from programs to degrees in the UK. Many students who have obtained outstanding degree results have made a contribution to their local societies and economies.

The NCUK programs will be offered to students at the ANC under the brand name ANC-UK. The programs will include an international Foundation Year program which can be completed in one year and is equivalent to the GCE Advanced Level and an International Diploma Program offered in business, engineering, computer science and IT which is equivalent to the first year of Bachelor degree programs.

Entry to the International Foundation Year (IFY) program is from GCE (O/L) and to the International Degree Program from A levels. Students can progress to a range of degree at UK Universities following IFY programs. Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool Prof. Kelvin Everest said students were welcome to the Liverpool universities.

Referring to the quality education provided by the NCUK universities, he said the Universities do not have stakeholders and their performance was being monitored by the UK Education Board. The NCUK Universities aim was to provide quality global education, he said.

The NCUK Universities include the University of Sheffield, University of Manchester, University of Leeds, Universities of Liverpool, University of Bradford, University of Salford, Sheffield Hallam University, Liverpool John Moore University, University of Huddersfield, Leeds Metropolitan University, and Manchester Metropolitan University.

The NCUK partner Universities include the University of Bristol, Aston University . University of Southampton, University of Sussex, University of Birmingham, University of Kent, Queen Mary University of London, University of Portsmouth and Kingston University.