ENACT Final Dissemination Conference 2024: A Resounding Success!

The ENACT Final Dissemination Conference 2024 took place on November 19, 2024, at the Ruby Hall,
BMICH in Colombo, attracting a diverse audience of scholars, policymakers, university leaders,
stakeholders, and project team members. The event explored the theme: “Creating Sustainable
Change: Enhancing University Governance and Management by Empowering Non-Academic Staff.”

Ceremonial Opening​

The conference began at 9:00 a.m. with the ceremonial lighting of the traditional oil lamp, symbolizing a
bright start to the day. Prof. Veranja Karunaratne, Vice Chancellor of Sri Lanka Technology Campus
(SLTC), extended a warm welcome to the attendees. This was followed by an address from Prof.
Vallipuram Kanagasingam, Vice Chancellor of Eastern University, Sri Lanka, representing the
coordinating institution.

Chief Guest Address​

Dr. Johann Hesse, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka & Maldives, delivered the Chief Guest Address, emphasizing the pivotal role of international collaboration in strengthening university governance.

Keynote address​

Among the highlights was the keynote by Senior Prof. H.H.D.N.P. Opatha, an acclaimed Human
Resource Management expert, who shared valuable insights into achieving and sustaining personnel
excellence in higher education.

Panel Discussions: Spotlight on Global Competencies and Best Practices​

Two engaging panel discussions enriched the conference, bringing fresh perspectives to key challenges
in higher education:

1. Building Global Competencies: The Role of Internationalization in Higher Education

  • Moderated by Dr. Nanda Gunawardena, President, DreamJ Campus.
  • Panelists:
    • Mr. Rui Mendes, Director of International Affairs, Técnico Lisboa / IST, Portugal.
    • Ms. Violeta Osouchova, Director, Centre for International Cooperation, Masaryk
      University, Czech Republic.
    • Prof. Anoma Abhayaratne, Senior Professor in Economics, University of
      Peradeniya.

2. Driving Excellence: Best Practices in HR, Financial Management, Soft Skills, and Leadership

  • Moderated by Ms. Senani Kalugama, Registrar, University of Ruhuna.
  • Panelists:
    • Ms. Ana Lucas, Coordinator, Training and Development Center – Técnico Lisboa /
      IST, Portugal.
    • Ms. Violeta Osouchova, Director, Centre for International Cooperation, Masaryk
      University, Czech Republic.
    • Ms. Christina Armutlieva, Director of International Cooperation, VarnaUniversity of Management, Bulgaria.
    • Prof. Vallipuram Kanagasingam, Vice Chancellor, Eastern University, Sri Lanka.

These discussions offered actionable strategies for global competencies, institutional performance, and
leadership in higher education.

Among the highlights was the keynote by Senior Prof. H.H.D.N.P. Opatha, an acclaimed Human
Resource Management expert, who shared valuable insights into achieving and sustaining personnel
excellence in higher education.

Celebrating ENACT Achievements and Future Directions of the ENACT Project​

The Achievements and Key Outcomes of the ENACT project were presented by Ms. Nishanthi
Nirumithan, Project Coordinator, and Ms. Christina Armutlieva, Director of International Cooperation at
Varna University of Management, Bulgaria.

Dr. Lalith Senarathna, ENACT Project Coordinator at Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, concluded the
session with a comprehensive summary and outlined the project’s way forward, highlighting the next
steps in advancing its goals.

Broad Participation

The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from more than 50 external attendees and 40 internal
representatives from European and Sri Lankan ENACT partner universities. This vibrant mix of
stakeholders created an environment rich with collaboration and exchange of innovative ideas.

Acknowledgments

The ENACT Final Dissemination Conference 2024 was successfully hosted by SLTC under the guidance of
Dr. Lakshitha Pahalagedara, Dean of the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies and Research at SLTC and
ENACT Coordinator. Dr. Pahalagedara also delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to
everyone who contributed to the events success.

The event was flawlessly compered by Harendra Koralage, Manager of the Program Management Unit
at SLTC, and executed with the dedicated efforts of Irandi Munasinghe, Senior Executive – International
Relations and Grants, alongside the committed teams from the Office of International Affairs and
Human Resource Department at SLTC.

A special note of appreciation goes to the entire ENACT family for their remarkable contributions, which
were pivotal in making this event a resounding success.

A Transformative Journey

The ENACT project, an Erasmus+ initiative, is committed to transforming university governance in Sri
Lanka by empowering non-academic staff. This conference served as a dynamic platform to:

Showcase innovative practices in university governance.

Facilitate the exchange of ideas among experts and stakeholders.

Discuss sustainable strategies to advance higher education management.

A key highlight of the event was the presentation of a transferable model for sustainable professional
development of non-academic staff, a groundbreaking achievement of the ENACT project. This model
acts as a blueprint for fostering excellence, capacity building, and institutional growth, offering a
practical framework for elevating governance and operational standards.
Participants had the unique opportunity to:

Engage deeply with cutting-edge practices.

Share experiences and insights.

Collaborate on actionable strategies for achieving long-term sustainability and growth in higher
education management.

A heartfelt thank you to all the speakers, panelists, and participants for their invaluable contributions
to the success of this remarkable event!