A Successful SJP Study Tour to Monash University in Australia – January 2019
A selected 26 student cohort and two academic members (Dr. Wasantha Perera, Local Coordinator of the Monash Program and Dr. M. D. Pushpakumari, Senior Lecturer) from the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce has just arrived in Sri Lanka last Sunday after completing a very successful two-week Study Tour to Monash Business School in Australia.
This study tour mainly existed due to the MOU signed by the current Vice-Chancellor of the University, Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunge and the former the Head of Monash Business School, Professor Robert Brooks. This was the two-week study tour which offered the course unit (BEX3729- Engaging International Business) by the Monash Business School and it was carefully designed and coordinated by Professor Michaela Rankin (Dean, International) and Prof. Robert Brooks (Dean, Education) at Monash Business School. SJP students who have completed this course unit successfully were awarded the certificates at the farewell ceremony by the Monash Business School.
The aim of this study tour was to build a substantial, longstanding engagement between Sri Lanka and Australia and, in particular, the established linkages between universities, industry and government in both countries. Further, it offered SJP students the chance to experience and learn about the dynamics, opportunities and challenges of doing business in the global context. The major event of this study tour were welcome and farewell ceremonies, induction program, lecture sessions and panel discussions, excursions, case study analysis with class presentation, experience sharing sessions, professional and career development sessions, industry and field visits and networking sessions. All lecture sessions were conducted at the class rooms of the newly constructed learning and teaching building (LTB), which provided full-fledged learner centered learning (LCT) experience for our students and academic members. Our academic members were also given an opportunity to teach a couple of sessions and assess student performance at the Monash Business School under the newly established learning and teaching environment.