Napier teams up with Mobitel Sri Lanka

Edinburgh Napier University, in partnership with Mobitel, the leading Sri Lankan telecommunications company, is set to host the world's first virtual degree at its Craiglockhart campus.

Students on the course will study organisation, economic and creative business strategies via an mLearning platform, all as part of an MBA programme. Each student will receive a free notebook and dongle to be able to access learning resources from over 5000 miles away, enjoying real-time interaction with module leaders and discuss topics online with fellow students.

Professor George Stonehouse, dean of Napier’s Business School, told The Journal: "Until a few years ago on-line learning could be a pretty dull process. Recent developments in technology have transformed the situation with real-time virtual teaching becoming a reality.

"Whilst not for everyone, virtual and mobile learning provide an opportunity for highly flexible study - anytime, anywhere – at the same time as the benefits of face to face interaction with fellow students and lecturers."

Prof. Stonehouse went on to explain: "The initiative is part of a much larger suite of programmes which will use the latest technology alongside more traditional face to face classes to provide the highest quality and most enjoyable learning experience for students."

The programme will be particularly helpful to foreign students who wish to obtain a Scottish qualification but cannot afford the expense of international fees. The British High Commissioner, John Rankin told The Journal: "I congratulate the Edinburgh Napier University and Mobitel (Pvt.) Ltd. on pioneering this unique educational service. British education is held in high regard in Sri Lanka and I am delighted that both [countries] are looking for new ways to make education accessible."

Mobitel is a subsidiary of Sri Lanka Telecom and the first phone company to offer a 3.5G network in South Asia. Mobitel's Senior General Manager, Mr. Janaka Jayalath, has praised the partnership, stating: "Sri Lanka [is] constantly on the look out to support and foster our country’s welfare. "Through Mobitel’s mLearning platform, we have harnessed the education pertaining to many industries in our nation, via partnerships with prominent educational institutes.

"Our next step was to facilitate students to follow courses with international patronage […] to enable students to pursue their higher studies at their own convenience."