Green University

Turning a new leaf in Sri Lankan Higher Education, NSBM Green University Town, the first of its kind in South Asia is set to be open on 27th October by the distinguished patronage of his excellency the President MaithripalaSirisena, with the participation of Prime Minister, Hon Ranil Wickremesinghe, by invitation of Hon Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training, and Hon Palitha Range-Bandara State Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training.

Background

Established under the Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training, the National institute of Business Management has more than 48 years of history as a renowned Business and IT tertiary education services provider. NSBM, National School of Business Management was started as the Degree Awarding body of the NIBM. In 2005 under the leadership of Dr E A Weerasinghe and a new management NIBM was developed through a five year strategic plan. Accordingly a new branch network was developed, with added programmes and facilities. Student numbers and income levels of NIBM were increased rapidly. In 2012 using this management and financial strength NSBM Green University project was started to take Sri Lankan higher education to new heights. The objective of this project was to build a fully-fledged university town of international caliber. Spanned out in 26 acres, with an investment of Rs 10.2 Billion this major project has now reached the conclusion. It is important to note that the NSBM Green University Town is built solely with the funds of NSBM itself, without being a burden to the government or the treasury.

What is special about Green University Town?

It is the aim of the Green University Town to provide an all-around, fullyfledged University experience to all the students. All facilities including computer labs and lecture halls are built after observing modern European universities for this purpose. In addition, self-study and discussions are promoted by adding study areas and resting areas. There is also a gigantic library which is totally automated which will be a new experience to the Sri Lankan University community.

NSBM Green University comprises three faculties namely Business, IT and Engineering; each faculty has modern lecture halls and the undergraduate capacity at a given time is 30,000. With the intention of producing graduates with theoretical as well as practical knowledge and exposure, the university has instilled facilities for students to connect with the share market and small factories where they can experience the real industry.

For the students to keep fit whilst having their higher education, there is a playground and a fully accomplished gymnasia and a swimming pool. To improve their visual and performing arts affinity, there also is an auditorium and an open air theater built within the premises.

The premises will also carry student and staff accommodation, supermarkets and much more, making it a fully-fledged University Town. This will be a totally novel experience to the public as the NSBM Green University is the first and the only one of that sort in the country.

Situated in the middle of the premises, the administrative building will manage all the affairs via a fully-automated system.

All activities of the NSBM Green University Town are designed to be conducted in an environmental friendly manner and the graduates will also be shaped to become environmental friendly, working towards a greener tomorrow.

Degree Programmes awarded by NSBM

NSBM awards a number of programmes fitting to international curriculum for which there is a huge demand in the industry. All programmes are either approved by the UGC, or awarded in affiliation with high ranked universities of the world. University College of Dublin Ireland has been awarding degrees in Sri Lanka for almost 20 years, and is considered as one of the most prestigious universities in Europe.

University of Plymouth is ranked in the top 300 universities of the world and in the top 30 of UK Universities.

Limkokwing University of Creative technology, LUCT, is a well-known university in the Asia Pacific region for creative studies, with campuses in 16 countries. There are Business Management, Computing and IT, Multimedia and Business communication programmes awarded with these universities.

The lecturer panel is quite experienced and are rich in practical exposure, which is another reason for NSBM to be successful. Students who are finishing their school life after AL can now register with the programmes NSBM offer, and can get more details by calling 011 544 5000.

Students after OL also can join the foreign Degree programmes after going through a foundation programme.

Until the constructions are finished, NSBM is operated from the Nugegoda City campus. There are about 5400 students currently following Degree programmes there and after October all of them will be moved to the new premises in Pitipana, Homagama.

Impact on the National Economy

NSBM prides itself of the fact that many students who opts to go abroad to follow their higher education dreams, can now do so within Sri Lanka itself; this helps save precious money pumped to foreign countries for education. Correspondingly, the Green University Town will host a number of foreign students making the country earn foreign currency. Those who lost the opportunity to join a state university Town by a small margin, and also lack the financial strength to follow a foreign degree by moving to another country, can now join the NSBM Green University Town to continue their higher studies. Within a bearable cost, they have the opportunity to fulfill their dream of having an international level education, within Sri Lanka itself. The Green University Town also assists the country’s workforce by developing the Human capital; NSBM graduates are skilled in many a discipline and talented in fulfilling the objectives of any profit-seeking establishment.

NSBM, a state entity managed with sound management principles, has won the National Business Excellence Award 2012 and 2013 by the National Chamber of Commerce and the Silver award 2013 and Gold Award 2014 for the Sate Corporations and statutory bodies sector at the Annual Report Competition of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka.

Taking Sri Lankan higher education to a new direction, NSBM, is truly the pride of a nation.