ICBS reputed to be one of the fastest growing education providers in Sri Lanka with a range of successful “firsts” in the market, including the 1st to launch Digital learning facilities in Sri Lanka and the 1st higher education institute in the country to secure an affiliation to deliver a Scottish MBA, recently celebrated their first year of partnership with the University of the West of Scotland . The first local institute to affiliate with a top ranked Scottish University: Mr. Pravinth Rajaratnam, Director ICBS stated, “being able to affiliate with a Scottish University is a testament to the hard work and quality centric approach followed by ICBS, as Scottish Universities do not easily allow their qualifications to be offered overseas and also do not partner overseas providers easily due to the very high criteria of quality they expect from their partner institute.

The University of the West of Scotland is currently ranked 4th as the most improved UK university as per the latest Times Higher Education survey.” “We had to initially combine to do research involving Chartered Accounting bodies, Universities, Chartered Accountants and employers in both India and Sri Lanka. From there we ventured into the possibility of developing a new curriculum combining with 2 of the largest globally recognized professional bodies that comprised of ACCA and CIMA. He commented that the market had been very receptive of both the programs they offer resulting in the Undergraduate programmes having over 400 students and 200 students studying for the Postgraduate programme .“

The popularity of the MBA programme in Colombo has now pushed us to offer the programme in Kandy as well “he explained. Comprising of 14 months learning and 4 months research and dissertation, the MBA is offered to any person with a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised University, those who have fully or partly completed professional qualifications, or has five years of work experience with a minimum of 3 years at a supervisory level Members of any IFAC registered professional qualifications are awarded 120 credit exemptions from the 180 credit MBA programme. This is a unique opportunity available to Ifac members exclusively through ICBS.

The first local institute to offer a scholarship scheme for teachers to study for an MBA: We have rolled out an initiate to give something back those who teach the next generation of leaders of our country, where all schools in the island can nominate 2 teachers per annum to follow the MBA at ICBS under a 50% scholarship.” Mr. Rajaratnam added “With the 1st batch of students are now graduating and we have seen the remarkable transformation that students have gone through from the commencement of the MBA to completing it. A corporate offer is now in place which makes the programme more affordable to employees corporates The first local institute to offer digital learning in Colombo and outskirts: Mr. Rajaratnam further outlined that ICBS was very particular about the student centric approach to learning, where they considered individual attention for students as being critical.

“We promote a culture where students are supported to be highly motivated, creative and collaborative lecturers who are employed with corporates who are able to share their experiences ensuring that students are able to experience the theory that they learn.” Speaking of their future plans, Rajaratnam said that the immediate plans included launching the MBA on Kandy with facilities identical to that available in Colombo being offered to students that will include Digital Learning Classrooms making them once again “first” to offer such facilities in the outskirts of Colombo. This will be backed by the same panel of lecturers conducting classes in Colombo utilised to deliver the perfect learning experience ICBS will be also introducing up to 8 new qualifications, some to be offered in Sri Lanka and others for international markets.