Staffordshire University - UK and the Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT) - Sri Lanka have taken steps to strengthen and expand their collaborative partnership in higher education. Accordingly, Staffordshire University will offer several more undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Colombo through APIIT-Sri Lanka. Staffordshire University has also opened a Staffordshire University Sri Lanka Office at APIIT - Sri Lanka premises in Colombo with a view to enrolling Sri Lankan students to study at Staffordshire University campuses in the UK.

APIIT has a longstanding and enduring partnership with Staffordshire University, one of the leading universities in the UK. The collaboration dates back to mid 1990s when the University entered into a franchise arrangement to offer its degree programmes in Malaysia through the APIIT Campus in Kuala Lumpur. With the establishment of APIIT- Sri Lanka in the year 2000, the University extended its quality assurance services to the Sri Lankan campus; this was soon followed by approval to conduct University degree programmes in Colombo.

Staffordshire University is a major player in international education and has its origins in the early 1900s. The University has a student population of approximately 16,000 students with 1,500 international students. In addition, there are more than 5,000 students studying overseas for Staffordshire University awards in China, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Greece, Spain and France. The Quality Assurance Agency of the UK has ranked Staffordshire University on par with the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford in providing best learning experiences to students in England.

Presently, APIIT- Sri Lanka offers several internal degree programmes in Computing/ IT and Business Management from Staffordshire University. These include BSc Hons Degrees in Computing (with specialisations in Software Engineering, Multimedia and Web Development), Business Information Technology, Business Computing and E-commerce, and BA Hons Degree in Business Administration. APIIT also offers two Masters Degree Programmes, namely, MSc in Technology Management and MSc in Computing. Recent discussions and policy decisions will result in APIIT conducting several more internal undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in Colombo.

However, Staffordshire University runs a variety of 800 courses on their campuses in the UK. Understandably, it is not practical to bring all these programmes to Colombo. It is important, then, that we find ways and means of allowing our students to benefit from these cutting edge courses and first class learning opportunities at Staffordshire University. With this objective in mind, Staffordshire University has set up a permanent office at the APIIT City Campus in Colombo to provide Sri Lankan students with information about and greater access to all University programmes and to facilitate their transfer for study in the UK.

Students and parents may visit the APIIT City Campus (No 388, Union Place, Colombo 2) or call Senani, Kanchana or Jayan (011 2675060) to obtain more information about the study programmes available in Colombo. Students interested in transferring to Staffordshire University campuses in the UK are invited to visit the Staffordshire University Sri Lanka Office at the APIIT City Campus or call Erandi (011 2675244) for advice and guidance. Information is also available on APIIT website: www.apiit.edu.lk.