Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education

The Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education (SLIATE) (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා උසස් තාක්ෂණ අධ්‍යපන ආයතනය Tamil: இலங்கை உயர் தொழில்நுட்ப நிறுவனம்) is a statutory body coming under the control of the Sri Lankan Higher Education Ministry which offers Higher National Diploma courses. At present, it manages and supervises twelve provincial Advanced Technological Institutes throughout the island.^[1][2]The Institute is traditionally known for its education in the accountancyand engineering, and more recently in information technology, management as well.^[3][4]

History

The institute was formed in 1995 as Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education, through the merger of the Junior University Colleges (Sri Lanka), Hardy Advanced Technological Institute and several Advanced Technical Institutes.The origin of the SLIATE can be traced back to the year 1956, the era in which the Hardy Technical College was established.

Establishment

Founded in 1995 in response to the increasing industrialization of the Sri Lanka, SLIATE adopted a European polytechnic model and stressed laboratory instruction in engineering. SLIATE was established under the Parliament Act 29 of 1995 focusing on fostering Advanced Technical Education at a post-secondary level and its head is a Director General appointed by the cabinet. SLIATE is mandated to establish an Advanced Technical Institute (ATI) in every province.

At present, it manages and supervises twelve separate Advance Technical Institutes and six sections housed in the Technical Colleges under Department of Technical Education and Training to conduct the courses of Higher National Diplomas and National Diplomas. Each institute has a Director and each section has an Academic Coordinator.

Campuses

Hardy Advanced Technological Institute

The Hardy Advanced Technological Institute (also known as Hardy Technical College)^[5][6]is a engineering college located in Ampara, Sri Lanka.^[7]Founded in 1956 by Prof. Allen Hardy as the Technical Training Institute with aid from the Colombo Plan, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the Asia Foundation, it was renamed as Hardy Senior Technical Institute (HSTI) in 1967.^[8]

Dehiwala Advanced Technological Institutes

The Dehiwala Advanced Technological Institutes was a Junior University College of Ceylon in Sri Lanka (earlier Ceylon) from 1969^[9][10] until 1972.it was subsumed by the Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education to form a new entity also called Dehiwala Advanced Technical Institute.

Other Campuses

1. Kandy ATI^[11][12]
2. Kurunagala ATI^[13][14]
3. Badulla ATI^[15][16]
4. Jaffna ATI^[17]
5. Naiwala ATI^[18]
6. Trincomalee ATI^[19]
7. Labuduwa ATI ^{[20][21][22][23][24][25]}
8. Colombo ATI^[26][27]
9. Dehiwala ATI^[28]
10. Kegalle ATI^[29]
11. Tangalle ATI^[30]

Sections

The following is a list of Advanced Technological Institute Sections:^[31]

1. Anuradapura Technical College^[32][33]
2. Rathnapura Technical College^[34]
3. Sammanthurai Technical College^[35]
4. Batticaloa Technical College^[36]

Courses

Advanced Technology Institute conducts 12 courses:

HNDA (Higher National Diploma in Accountancy)

The HNDA program is the first professional accounting course introduced in Sri Lanka. It was started in 1943 as the National Diploma in Accountancy with the aim of detecting and preventing frauds, errors, and malpractices in Ceylon Tea Estates and Ceylon Railway. Then, it was converted to a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy (HNDA) in 1946.Ceylon’ Technical College at Maradana was set up by the colonial government in 1893, accounting education was not given a place in its programs for another fifty years. Only after 1942 did the Ceylon Technical College take steps to organise and offer certificate and diploma courses in accounting. Accordingly, a commercial certificate course for bookkeepers and a diploma course for prospective accountants were launched by the Technical College in 1943 and 1946 respectively. These courses were modeled on similar programs of studies offered in the U.K. Since the Diploma in Accountancy was a four-year evening course offered at the professional level the admission to the course was restricted to those who were engaged in accounting related activities.The curriculum of this course was quite similar to those of the leading professional accounting bodies in the U.K.^[37]

Other Courses

1. HNDBA (Higher National Diploma in Business Administration)
2. HNDBF (Higher National Diploma in Business Finance)
3. HNDBSE (Higher National Diploma in Building Service Engineering)
4. HNDFT (Higher National Diploma in Food Technology)
5. HNDE (Higher National Diploma in Engineering)
6. HND in English
7. HNDIT (Higher National Diploma in Information Technology)
8. HNDM (Higher National Diploma in Management)
9. HNDT - Agri (Higher National Diploma in Technology)
10. HNDTHM (Higher National Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management)
11. HNDQS (Higher National Diploma in Quantity Survey)

Renegotiation

In 1990, the Public Administration Circular 46/90 recognized the Higher National Diploma in Accountancy (HNDA) as equal to a Bachelor of Commerce degree program. With was repealed by the Rajapaksa administration. Following protests by student in 2015 after the Rajapaksa administration was defeated, the new administration reinstated the Public Administration Circular 46/90 giving HNDA degree equal status.^[38]

References