Pathway to Study Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth – 5) at Excelsia College, Sydney

St George International Teacher Training Institute in Sri Lanka and Excelsia College, Sydney signs collaborative agreement

St George International Teacher Training Institute in Sri Lanka and Excelsia College, Sydney signed a collaborative agreement to offer pathway into Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth – 5) for Srilankan students. The MoU was signed during the visit of Bobby Abraham, Chief Admissions, Global Engagement and Partnerships of Excelsia College, Sydney to Colombo.

Accordingly, students of St George

International Teacher Training Institute in Sri Lanka following its National Diploma in Preschool Teacher Training and Pearson assured Diploma in Montessori Method & Primary Education Teacher Training ( Joint Award) will be able to continue their degree completion at Excelsia College, Sydney.

St George International Institute was established in 1999 with the aim to produce qualified teachers in meeting the demands in both local and international markets by offering world-recognised qualifications. With well-over 20-years of existence in the market, the institute have trained well over 5,000 qualified teachers to the nation and a greater number of graduates are now teaching in local institutions and in different parts of the world.

Excelsia College, Sydney was established in 1983, and have been championing professional leaders in diverse industry sectors in Australia and to date well over 8,000 graduates already contributing to the development of world economies. Academics at the college are constantly designing newest courses to fit the needs of today’s students, and this has been the success of Excelsia College’s 38-years of Australian higher education excellence.

Peter McKeon, CEO of Excelsia College, stated in his reference to the collaboration, “This is another much-anticipated collaboration for Excelsia College in Sri Lanka. In our journey to achieve greater heights and to continue positioning ourselves as globally competitive, such collaborations are essential. We are delighted to welcome graduates from our Sri Lankan partner in the near future. Having a strong educational ethos firmly built into its foundations, Excelsia College believes each student who walks through its doors is a unique individual who requires their own tailored approach of care and support to help unlock their full potential and flourish in their chosen profession.”

Bobby Abraham, Chief Admissions, Global Engagement and Partnerships at Excelsia College stated, “My visit to Sri Lanka is more relied upon reiterating our commitment to Sri Lanka and the community here and it is a great collaboration for Excelsia College to reiterate it. I am delighted to be part of this and looking to the future of welcoming graduates from St George International Institute to the early childhood education space. This collaboration is a testimony for already existing stronger ties between Sri Lanka and Australia in the higher education space which has lit up minds of future professional.”

Rashantha Fernando, Head of Academic Affairs of St George International Institute addressing the guests mentioned, “It was an honour to meet the delegates from Excelsia College at St George International institute. It’s great to see like-minded organisations come together for the greater good as the partnership clearly understands the importance of encouraging community engagement, create and provide more opportunities for our graduates to build their academic and professional career in Australia. This partnership will help us reach a larger audience of bright, talented, and hardworking wouldbe educators in the country who are eager to pursue their higher education in Australia in the Early Childhood Education field. The opportunity presents the importance in exposing the country’s best potential talent in to a globally recognised level of expertise, which they can bring back to the island. It is our hope that this in turn, will benefit Sri Lanka in the long run. I, together with the St. George team, anticipate a strong and fruitful relationship with Excelsia College, Sydney.”

The collaboration offers Srilankan students pathway into completing Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth – 5) under the following criteria.

St George International Institute students successfully completes the National Diploma in Preschool Teacher Training and Pearson assured Diploma in Montessori Method & Primary Education Teacher Training ( Joint Award) to be eligible for one-year credit/48 credit points. satisfies all admission requirements; meets both the verbal and written English Language competence requirements (IELTS 6.0); and meets the relevant fee-paying requirements of the Excelsia course or unit. Excelsia’s Bachelor of Early Childhood Education ( BECE) is designed to equip teachers with the knowledge, skills and understanding to provide quality early childhood education and care. The course supports students to build a deep, reflexive understanding of the child, child development, early childhood contexts, educational issues, theories and considerations, and the diverse needs of children, from birth to five years of age. A continuing shortage of wellqualified staff in the early childhood sector is an important motivation for the necessity and provision of this course. The Bachelor of Early Childhood Education Degree has been assessed by the Australian Institute of Te a chers and School Leaders ( AITSL https:// www. aitsl. edu. au/) and accredited by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA https://www.acecqa.gov.au/).

Graduates of the degree will have a sound theoretical foundation of the underpinning knowledge and practical skills expected and required of an early childhood educator with a particular focus on: Agentic and play- based approaches to early childhood education (Broadhead, Howard and Wood 2010; Fleer 2013). Using a range of effective, contemporary educational techniques and strategies to plan, deliver and assess effective learning for a complex and diverse range of children and family populations in a continually changing society. Creating a safe and challenging educational environment to facilitate learning and wellbeing.

Key theorists and theoretical perspectives in the fields of education, in general and early childhood in particular. Demonstrating a sound knowledge of the professional behaviour and ethical conduct expected of an educator. Meeting the AQF level 7 criteria and ACECQA outcomes.

Interested students may please contact St George International Teacher Training Institute for more information – email: info@stgeorgeinstitute.lk