Partnership raises Northumbria’s profile in Sri Lanka

Northumbria University, Newcastle, has strengthened its position as a leading education provider in Sri Lanka following a high profile partnership in the Country’s banking sector.

Northumbria already offers business and banking degrees in Sri Lanka through its partnership with the Business Management School (BMS) in Colombo. Through these teaching programmes, it has also built up a strong relationship with the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL). And in a move to formalise this link with IBSL, further cementing the University's presence in Sri Lanka, Northumbria was recently invited to celebrate the launch of a new recognition partnership agreement between IBSL and Northumbria University.

Signed at the Westminster House, residences of the British High Commission, in presence of the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the pathway agreement allows Northumbria to recognise IBSL diploma as equivalent to the first two-years of Northumbria’s honours degree. Students in Sri Lanka who complete the IBSL Diploma therefore can now enter into the final year of Northumbria’s Business or Banking Degree offered via BMS. There are currently around 700 students from Sri Lanka studying with Northumbria, and with this new recognition of professional qualifications this number is now expected to rise among those interested in UK-accredited banking degrees.

Professor Jon Reast, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) at Northumbria, said: “It was an honour to be invited by the IBSL to attend the partnership signing with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. We have a clear strategy to engage directly with industry in Sri Lanka, and already have a strong profile across a range of sectors including biomedical sciences, biotech, design and fashion, and financial services. This latest development in the banking sector extends our presence even further and adds another strand to what we can offer students in Sri Lanka.

“It also builds on the excellent relationship between Newcastle Business School and colleagues at BMS, and reflects our growing reputation as a global university offering an outstanding learning experience for both our UK and international students.”

For more information on Northumbria degrees offered at BMS please see here