UCL embraces 2020 with confidence and optimism - Dr. Harsha Alles
Education is perhaps one’s best investment in life, yielding returns long after one has left the halls of a learning institution.
For Universal College Lanka (UCL), world class education in an academic, professional, social and personal sense is a way of life. 2020 is marked to be a year of redefining education; Director of UCL and Chairman of Gateway Group of Organizations, Dr. Harsha Alles shares his views on how the institute is poised for 2020.
Dr. Alles says, “Since our inception, we have pursued excellence in everything we do and our main aim is to develop students to their full potential by creating an inspirational all-round holistic student experience, that grooms students to be global citizens with the ability to compete successfully in whichever field they opt to excel. It is our belief that along with sound academic learning, students must also be equipped with soft skills, professional grooming as well as hands-on training to be industry-ready.
In response to today’s demanding role of education, we are dedicated towards creating a collaborative environment open to the free exchange of ideas where research, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship can flourish. This is our underlying theme for 2020.”
Understanding the needs of the 21st century, UCL is driven by its mission to provide the best quality learning and teaching environment and thrives on being innovative and entrepreneurial in their approach to knowledge exchange, whilst upholding its operations in keeping with the world class standards of its partner universities.
“UCL possesses an uncompromising commitment to maintaining the highest quality and have partnered with top universities who share our values, think long term and are dedicated towards high quality transnational higher education. Today, we are recognized in the industry for our value driven affiliations with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), a top ranked University in the UK which is the earliest established British University to offer degree programmes in Sri Lanka and as the exclusive provider of pathways to the globally acclaimed Monash University. UCLan and Monash have been an ideal match that meets our goals and will continue to be key strategic partners of UCL” explained Dr. Alles.
He further emulates “We engage students in many knowledge gathering pursuits to instil in them a lifelong quest for knowledge. We affirm our commitment to higher education not only through our course offerings but by creating a balance between academic excellence with practical ability and integrity.”
Dr. Alles is a keen believer in the important role lecturers play in education: “One of the key differentiators of UCL is that our panel of lecturers are both inspiring and committed to the welfare of students.” He highlights that UCL employs full-time lecturers with a minimum of a master’s degree and includes several holding PhDs and others who are currently reading for their doctorates , a distinctive feature that sets apart UCL from the rest.
“They are all established experts in their respective subjects and are always approachable to students,” he says. Always future-focused in its approach, UCL is looking at 2020 as a year of redefining excellence in education. “We will be prioritizing student-centered learning using novel methodologies such as active learning, problem-based learning, interactive learning and work-based learning to get students to effectively engage in their curriculum, whilst instilling time- specific skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication and collaboration” avers Dr. Alles.
He also stated that soft skill development has always been a key focus area at UCL where students are given an array of opportunities in class and through various activities, such as the famed UCL Talks series, that has top industry professionals giving industry insights on achieving business success and overcoming challenges. Engagements with mentors of this nature improves leadership skills, communication skills, teamwork, accountability and shared learning. “Soft skills are critical for today’s jobs and will be a defining characteristic at any workplace – something we will continue to focus on at UCL this year,” he notes.
“We take education seriously whilst making it a happy experience for our students, and this philosophy has proven itself with all the accolades we have received year on year” says Dr. Alles. He shares how student achievements are UCL’s biggest awards with world prize winners and world toppers at every examination cycle. “Our students continue to excel throughout their journey with us. We currently have partnerships with the Top 25 blue chip companies in Sri Lanka including John Keells Holdings, MAS, Dialog, Hemas, Hayleys, Brandix, Hatton National Bank, 99X Technologies, London Stock Exchange and JAT Holdings, in which our student interns are in high demand by these corporates,” he adds.
With forward thinking mentors like Dr. Harsha Alles at the helm, the new year looks promising for UCL as it stands bold and poised to revolutionize higher education in Sri Lanka, promoting skills for tomorrow’s careers and fostering the concept of a well-rounded education.