Distance Education Modernization Project – DEMP

The Distance Education Modernisation Project (DEMP), funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), commenced in December 2003. It addresses the Government of Sri Lanka’s initiative to increase socio-economic growth and, thereby, enhance human development in Sri Lanka. To reach this goal, DEMP aims significantly to increase access to postsecondary education in Sri Lanka through the development of online distance learning.

DEMP is an initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education.

The Project aims to increase opportunities by providing quality and employment related online learning for the following groups:

approximately 165,000 A-level graduates enrolled in traditional    universities’ external     degree programmes who cannot enter    university due to lack of space

over 40,000 learners enrolled in training programmes offered by up    to 150    
    recognized private post-secondary educational institutions    and government post     secondary institutes such as universities and    institutions of advanced technical     education

around 20,000 students attending the 26 OUSL campuses across    the country

the many individuals who need to acquire employment related    professional     development in the private sector, and students of other    conventional universities     that  intend to offer external  degrees

DEMP’s main purpose is to use modern distance education technologies to achieve the following by 2012:

  accommodate 25,000 external degree students

 increase student enrolment by 35,000 in private post-secondary    institutions

 double enrollment at OUSL from 20,000 to 40,000 learners

 provide semi-professional job training to unemployed secondary school leavers.

DEMP is undertaking this task through the following three interconnected programmes:

  Distance Education Partnership Programme (DEPP) responsible for raising the      quality of distance education, enhancing student capacity and improving public-private      sector participation in post secondary education.     

     The National Distance Education Network (NDEN), that will operate as part of DEPP,      will supply a  national telecommunications network delivering the learning content.           The network will  include learning centres in about 150 locations.

  Public Private Partnership Programme (PPP) responsible for    increasing access       to education.

  Open University of Sri Lanka Capacity Enhancement Programme    (OUSL-CE)       aimed at modernising OUSL to a world-class distance    education institution and       expanding student capacity at the Open    University of Sri Lanka.