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IMPROVING THE RELEVANCE AND QUALITY OF UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION PROGRAMME UNIVERSITY OF RUHUNA 2004 -2010

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE. EXPERIENCE. IMPROVING THE RELEVANCE AND QUALITY OF UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION PROGRAMME UNIVERSITY OF RUHUNA 2004 -2010. Institutional Block Grant activities at the University of Ruhuna. IT for Final Year Students. IT Skills. English for Final Year Students.

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IMPROVING THE RELEVANCE AND QUALITY OF UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION PROGRAMME UNIVERSITY OF RUHUNA 2004 -2010

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  1. LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCE IMPROVING THE RELEVANCE AND QUALITY OF UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION PROGRAMME UNIVERSITY OF RUHUNA 2004 -2010

  2. Institutional Block Grant activities at the University of Ruhuna IT for Final Year Students IT Skills English for Final Year Students English Skills IBG 2 IBG 1 Special Needs Staff/ Students Social Harmony Engineerig Student Learning Environment IBG 3 Science Management

  3. Medicine QEF Economics ARTS Quality Enhancement Fund

  4. IBG I Grants started in 2004 IBG 11 Grants started in 2005 IBG III Grants started in 2009 QEF Grants started in 2005 QEF Batch III Grants stated in 2008

  5. INSTITUTIONAL BLOCK GRANTS (IBG) AND QUALITY ENHANCEMENT FUNDS (QEF) RECEIVED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF RUHUNA • IBG – I GRANTS: Improvement in • Learning Environment (LKR 10.1 m) • Competency in English (LKR 10.0 m) • Social Harmony (LKR 8. 6 m) • Information Technology (LKR 7.2 m) • IBG –II GRANTS: • Intense IT Course (LKR 10.0 m) • Intense English Course (LKR 10.0 m) • Special Needs (LKR 5.0) • IBG –III GRANTS: • Faculty of Engineering (LKR 23.05 m) • Faculty of Science (LKR 14.41 m) • Faculty of Management (LKR 5.0 m) • QEF 1 GRANTS: - Study Program in Social Science (Economics) (LKR 38.5 m) - Study Program in Medicine (LKR 92.0 m) • QEFIII GRANTS: Faculty of H&SS (LKR 20.0 m) TOTAL GRANTS RECEIVED LKR 253.86 Million

  6. PROGRESS OF FUNDS UTILIZATION at 30th June 2010(LKR millions)

  7. SUB ACTIVITIESUNDERDIFFERENT GRANTS

  8. IMPROVING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (LKR 9.30 m) • Improving the Hostel Facilities • Improving the Canteen Facilities • Improving the Library Reference Services • Improving the Physical Education Facilities • Improving the Health Care Facilities • Improving the Career Guidance Services • Improving the Physical Environment

  9. Improvement of English Proficiency (LKR 8.38 m) • Revise Curricula and Assessment Process of the English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) (LKR 0.95) • Improve Quality of English Teaching through Staff Training (LKR 1.425) • Improve Teaching - Learning Environment to provide wider opportunities for self learning activities (LKR 7.125)

  10. Improvement of Social Harmony(LKR 8.6 m) • Establishment of a Conflict Study Centre (LKR 6.75 m) - Introducing an Optional Foundation Course onSocial Harmony - Introducing an Optional Foundation Course on Social Harmony - Establishment of a Twining Programs with the University of Utrecht and The Netherlands Institute of International Relations - Guest Lecture Series on Social Harmony - Research in Social Harmony - Award Scheme for the Students to promote Social Harmony Activities

  11. Improvement of Social Harmonycont…. • Organizing Student / Staff Exchange Programmes, Cultural and Sports Activities to Promote Social Harmony (LKR 1.9 Min) • Exchange Programs with the Universities of Jaffna, Eastern and South Eastern • Developing Multi-cultural Programs with different Communities • Conducting Inter - University Sports events • Promoting Tamil Language Proficiency among Sinhalese students (LKR 0.95 Min)

  12. Improvement of Information Technology(LKR 7.2 Million)   • Implementation of a Foundation IT Course for all First Year Students in all Faculties (LKR 0.6 M) • Offering Career Specific IT courses for the Undergraduates (LKR 0.55 M) • Enhancement of Students Involvement in IT related Activities (LKR 2.1 M) • Academic Staff Training in IT (LKR 0.65 M)

  13. Improvement of Information Technologycont… • Developing IT Resource Centre in the Main Library (LKR 2.6 M) • Guest Lecture Series on Modern IT Developments and their Applications (LKR 0.6 M) • Organizing Inter - Faculty Competitions to improve IT creativity (LKR 0.1 M)

  14. IBG II - Intense Skills Enhancement in English for Final Year Students (Arts & Management(June 2005 - LKR 10.0 Million) • Recruitment and Training of Teaching Staff (LKR 2.20 m) • Provision of Teaching Equipment to Improve the Quality of Teaching(LKR 5.03) • Expose Students to Different Working Environments where Medium of Communication is English (LKR 0.12)

  15. IBG II - Intense Skills Enhancement in Information Technology for Final Year Students (June 2005 - LKR LKR 10.0 m) - Strengthening Institutional Capacity (LKR 5.6 m) - Conducting IT Enhancement Course (LKR 4.0 m) - Motivating Students Towards Self-Studies in IT (LKR 0.75 m) - Awareness Program of IT Applications Pertaining to Current Job Market Opportunities (LKR 0.26 m)

  16. IBG-II Special Needscont…. • Provision of Spectacles (168 pairs) to students and non-academic staff • Construction of Special Toilets for differently able persons • Providing Three-Wheelers (4) to Medical Centres at different faculties • Provided a Motor Cycle for the PHI at the University • Provided musical instruments (Western) for the University Cultural Centre

  17. IBG-II Special Needs(LKR 5.0 m) Improving Facilities at the Medical Centre (Diagnostic Equipment) Improving facilities at the Dental Clinic Conducting Health Camps in all Faculties Procurement of Learning Equipment (20 micro cassette recorders) Basic Amenities for differently able persons (wheelchairs, crutches, walking sticks, hearing aids)

  18. IBG III Grant(Equipment Grant for the Faculties of engineering, science and Management) (LKR 42.5 m)(Grant received in August 2009) • Teaching Equipment (Computers, Printers, Multimedia, Sound systems, Projector screens etc.) • Laboratory Equipment • Network facilities • Furniture • Air conditioners • Books and software

  19. QUALITY ENHANCEMENT FUND (QEF) PROJECTS (ROUNDS 1 and III) • Study Program in Social Science (Economics) (LKR 38.49 m) • Study Program in Medicine(LKR 92.0 m) • Study Programme in Arts (LKR 20.0 m)

  20. Study Programme in Social Sciences (LKR 38.5 m) • Enhancement of Generic Skills of Undergraduates • Development of University-Industry Linkages • Improvement in Teaching-Learning Process • Promoting Social Harmony • Raising Additional Funds

  21. Study Programme in Medicine (LKR 92.0 m) • Promote changes in the curriculum to produce socially responsible and effective medical graduates • Exposure to and training in rural health • Improve social and intercultural interaction • Optimize learning and learning environment • Improve access to IT • Improve the work output of staff • Enhance student support services • Improve proficiency in English and other national languages

  22. Study Programme in ARTS (LKR 20.0 ) • Overseas non degree training (3.2m) • Laboratory equipment (5.3m) • Teaching Equipment (0.9m) • Civil works (3.8m) • Furniture (1.1m) • Books (1.8m) • Programme development (workshops) (2.3 m)

  23. LESSONS LEARNED • Major source of funding for the university to improve the quality and relevance of study programmes. (5 years) • Implementation process is clear and straight forward • Easy accessibility to PPDU officials for consultation and clarification • Regular progress review and monitoring

  24. ISSUES • Submission of a proposal was the only requirement (condition) to obtain IBG grants. In the absence of any competition, the proposal writers did not pay adequate attention to formulate a more relevant and realistic proposals. • Some were more ambitious and unrealistic and some were just investment plans without adequate focus on outcomes. • Resulting under-expenditure or wasteful expenditure

  25. ISSUES • Formulation of a proposal with overestimation of the support and capacity of the staff, may not succeed. • The cooperation and support from over 75% of the staff is necessary to implement a proposal successfully. • Alienation of the staff from the proposal can be harmful to the project • This is particularly important in the case of UDG which will be given to the entire university where the individual staff members may be too distant to the group of proposal writers and the persons responsible for implementation. • Developing positive attitudes towards the project at faculty and department levels needs to be strengthened

  26. ISSUES • Very often physical resources are ordered through the project without paying due attention to the availability of human resources. • Some of the sophisticated equipment remain idling without supplementary HR inputs.

  27. ISSUES Students participation in project formulation and implementation was very limited in the IRQUE programme. Since the major beneficiaries are the students their active participation is important. Student organisations and societies can be utilized for implementation activities

  28. ISSUES • Adequate care should be given in the identification of effective activities to yield certain outcomes. (i.e. soft skills and social harmony) • Superficial activities should be avoided. For example to promote social harmony, playing a cricket match or conducting a musical show can have a very little impact on the expected outcome. It will be a wasting of resources. • More meaningful activities such as learning Tamil language or inviting Tamil students to live with Sinhalese friends would be more appropriate.

  29. ISSUES • Some of the IBG programmes had been restricted to Final Year students who had completed their Exams. • The IT and English knowledge given to them was not helpful for them to improve their education at the university. Therefore, such programmes should not be restricted to Final Year students only. • Junior students could benefit more from such training in IT and English • Performance indicators will improve

  30. ISSUES • Too many sub-activities in a proposal can create problems such as delays in implementation. When one activity gets delayed it can affect all other connected activities. (i.e. workshops) • Very often, time frames are set in the implementation schedule, assuming that all steps would run smoothly. This assumption is not true. There can be delays in the procurement process. • When the required number of quotations are not received, new round of quotations has to be started. • Therefore, provisions should be made in the time schedules, in case of such delays which may be frequent problems.

  31. ISSUES • Coordinators are over- burdened due to pressure from the achievement of implementation targets and preparation of various reports and documents which have deadlines. • Appointing a full time Programme Manger may solve this problem. • Frequent change of Coordinators also causes difficulties in the implementation. • The ‘New Coordinator’ may not be fully aware of the proposal. • Some PICs are inefficient. They do not perform their tasks. • Lack of enthusiasm among PICs in the latter part of the project.

  32. ISSUES • There is a possibility for cost escalation of certain activities once the project proposal is approved. At present, under IRQUE programme there is no provision for cost escalation. Due to this problem certain activities remain unimplemented . This should be taken into account when the budget is formulated. • The least cost criteria for the selection of equipment is not always efficient. An item with same specification may be supplied at a very low price. But there is a significant variation in the quality. At present there is no solution for this.

  33. ISSUES • Delays at the LTS: When a certain procurement is failed due to a TEC decision or lack of bidders, LTS should not wait till another request comes from the Programme Coordinator. • Rather than waiting for the request to come from the Coordinator, LTS can take the required steps to procure the items immediately after the first failure. Implementation delays can be reduced through such prompt actions.

  34. ISSUES The absence of proper records for the equipment purchased by certain academic units could cause misuse of them. Equipment purchased are not properly maintained. Allocation of a funds for the maintenance of equipment is a major problem concerning sustainability of project activities.

  35. Thank You

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