Dalhousie University partners with UCL to launch the First 2+2 Canadian Degree in Sri Lanka
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Canadian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka His Excellency David McKinnon, and the Directors of UCL, Bob Kundanmal, Dr. Harsha Alles and Steven Enderby symbolising the partnership between Dalhousie University Canada and UCL Sri Lanka
A leading U15 research intensive university in Canada, Dalhousie University has established an exclusive partnership with Sri Lanka’s premier transnational higher education provider, Universal College Lanka (UCL), to launch the first 2+2 Canadian Degree Programme in Sri Lanka.
This epoch- making event was symbolised at a meeting between the Canadian High Commissioner His Excellency David McKinnon and UCL’s Directors – Dr. Harsha Alles, Bob Kundanmal and Steven Enderby, CEO – Mr. Gihan Silva, Dean of Academic Affairs – Dr. Dhananjay Kulkarni and Head of Marketing & Student Enrolment – Ms. Tharanga Senarathna, at the Canada House recently.
Dalhousie University located in Halifax, Nova Scotia is one of the earliest established Canadian Universities founded in 1818. Dalhousie University is ranked Top 10 in Canada for graduate employability, Top 100 University in the world for Social Impact and achieved a Five Star Rating from QS Stars Global University ranking.
Over 115 countries represent the university’s student body, making it one of the friendliest cities that welcomes a diverse mix of students. The academic faculty of the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University consists of 92% PhD holders along with award winning professors committed to promoting excellence in teaching and research.
UCL delivers quality assured and practical programmes by working only with only the esteemed global institutions who help bring out the best in our students.
UCL is also the exclusive partner for Monash Education in Sri Lanka providing a guaranteed pathway to Monash University in Australia and Malaysia. UCL has successfully garnered 300 Monash Global Award of Excellence winners and produced the Best Graduates at Monash University graduations in the recent past. UCL has also an exclusive partnership with the University of Central Lancashire UK to offer their degree completion programmes in Software Engineering and International Business in Sri Lanka, and have achieved 100% pass rates in the programme. These are a testament to UCL’s uncompromising commitment to achieving academic excellence and offering quality transnational higher education to discerning students in Sri Lanka.
UCL will initially launch two undergraduate degree programs, namely the Bachelor of Computer Science and Bachelor of Applied Computer Science. Those who enrol for the degree program at UCL will have the privilege of becoming Dalhousie University students right from the beginning and complete the first two years of the Dalhousie University degree here in Sri Lanka at UCL, and then have a guaranteed transition to the Third Year at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada and subsequently progress to complete their Fourth and final Year there and graduate.
Technology and Digital are the future, and the main goal of the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University is to ensure that students are inculcated with the right technical knowledge, problem solving skills along with the leadership skills required in creating new software and computer technologies which will assist in empowering societies and organisations. A salient feature of the Dalhousie University’s Computer Science and Applied Computer Science Degree programmes is the unique Co-operative Education (Co-op) Model. Co-operative Education will give students a deeper, richer educational experience, real-world work experience, career connections and employment income during work terms. Co-op allows students to alternate career-focused work terms with study terms and receive special co-op degree designation upon graduation.
His Excellency David McKinnon
CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER
His Excellency David McKinnon said “It’s great to have Dalhousie University and UCL in a partnership to enable Sri Lankan students to access top-tier academic programmes and gain the experience of Canadian higher education. Canada and Sri Lanka share strong people-to-people ties, in part forged through our collaboration in the education sector. New partnerships between our education institutions will allow these ties to grow even further.”
Prof. AndrewRau-Chaplin
DEAN OF THE FACULTY OF COMPUTER SCIENCE Dalhousie UniversityCanada
The Dalhousie University representatives led by Dr. Matt Hebb, Vice President Government & Global Relations and Prof. Andrew Rau-Chaplin, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science, participated at the event online. Prof. Andrew Rau-Chaplin speaking on the occasion said “We are delighted to launch this engaged partnership with UCL where students will have the opportunity to start their university journey at home and end it here at Dalhousie University, a top Canadian institution with a history of over 200 years of excellence.
This new partnership will expand our capacity to attract high quality international students to the increasingly impactful discipline of computer science, exposing them to our curriculum and opportunities while they prepare for their studies overseas. UCL has a fantastic track record of developing similar partnership models where students have excelled in programmes at top ranked institutions globally. We are excited to join them in launching the first program like this at Dalhousie”.
Gihan Silva
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
CEO of UCL Mr. Gihan Silva who was fervently involved in developing the partnership with Dalhousie University was elated with the establishing of the partnership, said “This partnership is not only a milestone for UCL and Dalhousie University, it’s also an epoch- making event in bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Canada. This is the first ever 2+2 Canadian Degree to be delivered in Sri Lanka.
In keeping with our commitment to providing quality transnational higher education to discerning students, our latest university partnership with a leading Canadian U15 research intensive university, Dalhousie University will offer a holistic Canadian higher education experience including the unique Co-op model for gaining valuable work experience in top global tech companies in Canada. Let me take this opportunity to express my grateful thanks to Prof. Andrew Walker and Dr. Matt Hebb along with the rest at Dalhousie University and my colleagues at UCL for their excellent coordination throughout this exemplary partnership development process”.
An important aspect that UCL leverages on is their possession of a highly qualified and competent faculty among private tertiary education providers in Sri Lanka. Their faculty includes several PhDs whilst others hold a minimum of a Masters qualification, thus enabling them to offer students a superior learning experience in this programme. A well-integrated learning experience that is produced at UCL combines the imparting of knowledge, acquisition of skills, provision of industry exposure and the development of a winning attitude which would in turn, assist students towards carving out a career in their preferred fields, and become sought-after professionals locally and internationally.
Dr. Dhananjay Kulkarni
DEAN OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
About the curriculum and support available to students, Dr. Dhananjay added, “The first 2 years at UCL will provide a solid foundation for students and prepare them to excel at Dalhousie University. The cutting-edge, modern curriculum with emphasis on industry-oriented skills are what students require to start their careers. UCL is confident of maintaining the highest international standards, providing students a very Canadian University-like experience and high student satisfaction. All subjects taught, assessments, student support and delivery methods will be closely linked with Dalhousie. I believe maintaining these high standard and unique learning experiences will set our students apart, and will boost their ability to keep the Sri Lanka flag flying high. I am extremely delighted to be part of this journey at UCL. I invite all students/parents who aspire to study in Canada to come and meet us.”
Dr. Harsha Alles
DIRECTOR – UCL
Director UCL and Chairman of the Gateway Group of Organisations Dr. Harsha Alles expressed his pleasure in establishing this momentous partnership. He said “It is a trailblazer in transnational higher education in Sri Lanka as this is the first time that a Sri Lankan higher education provider has established a partnership with a Canadian university to offer its degree programmes in Sri Lanka. This development would augur well for Sri Lanka’s higher education sector towards realisation of its vision of setting up an international education hub in the South Asian region”. He also conveyed his appreciation to the UCL leadership team for achieving this great feat.
Ms. Tharanga Senarathna
HEAD OF MARKETING & STUDENT ENROLMENT
Over 115 countries represent the university’s student body, making it one of the friendliest cities that welcomes a diverse mix of students. The academic faculty of the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University consists of 92% PhD holders along with award winning professors committed to promoting excellence in teaching and research.