SAITM - Collegial Conversations

Locally studying Medical students of foreign Universities need not sit for Act 16 Exam

Wednesday, 29 September 2010

Sri Lanka will emerge as a centre of excellence for tertiary education inclusive of medical studies once over 20 non -state universities are set up in the country early next year, said Mr Sunil Navaratne Secretary to Ministry of Higher Education.

Mr. Navaratne told news.lk that over 20 countries have so far made enquiries and expressed their willingness to set up branches of foreign universities here. He said that as a prelude to this, a regulatory framework to standardize and provide quality assurance in higher education in all universities and learning institutions is being drafted to be presented in Parliament as proposed in the 2010 Appropriation Act.

The proposed new act will cover all government and privately run non-state universities and other higher educational institutes. All privately run universities set up here can recruit local and foreign students, but subject to condition of providing 20% of its annual intake as scholarships to local students. Mr. Navarathna said.

On asked about Medical Colleges that could be set up by non- state universities under the new Act he said that such colleges should be according to the Standard set out in the Medical Council Act.

“If those medical Colleges fulfill all the requirements and meet the standards as set out in the Medical Councils Act the students completing their medical degree here in such medical colleges need not sit for the Act 16 examinations held for foreign qualified doctors” confirmed Mr. Navarathna.

Mr Sunil Navaratne Secretary to Ministry of Higher Education also said that even the higher educational institutions that have been given the degree awarding status by the UGC are coming under the purview of the new act. if those higher educational institutes could improve their standards according to the proposed regulatory framework even they can become privately run fully fledged universities.

Source
http://www.news.lk ; 2010