CQA Profile
About the Centre of Quality Assurance
The Quality Assurance Centre at the Open University was created under the Quality Assurance Centre By-Law No. 1 of 2015, following the Internal Quality Assurance Unit that started in 2015. Both the CQA and its predecessor, the IQAU, aim to continually improve the quality of all academic activities at the Open university of Sri Lanka. In 2019, UGC Circular 2019/09 suggested renaming it the Centre for Quality Assurance (CQA) to better show its role across the whole university.
The Centre’s goal is to ensure the highest standards in education, learning, research, and sharing knowledge through a strong internal quality system. It works to improve the learning, working, and living experiences of the university community by helping all academic and administrative departments perform at their best. The Centre also strives to be a driving force for the ongoing improvement of all key processes at the University, aiming to make it the most trusted institution both nationally and internationally. It supports and collaborates with the university community to raise the standards of all practices, helping the University achieve its vision.
Vision of the University
“To attain excellence in life-changing education by providing equitable learning opportunities”
Mission of the university
“To provide lifelong learning opportunities through Open, Distance and Flexible Education with a commitment to excellence in teaching and research”
Objectives of the CQA
- Coordination of all Quality Assurance related activities within the University.
- Liaising with the Quality Assurance Council (QAC) of the UGC and other External Quality Assurance agencies.
- Implementation of Quality Assurance reviews / Audits and follow up action.
- Advice on Quality Assurance to all Faculties, academic departments and administrative divisions.
- Monitoring and guidance in Faculty level Quality Assurance activities.
- Monitoring of the Strategic Management plan of the OUSL.
- Reviewing staff performance and identifying training needs for different categories of staff at OUSL.
- Facilitation of identification and sharing of good practices between Academic Departments.
- Preparation of Quality Assurance related guidelines and manuals for use within the OUSL.
- To Conduct, with the support of Staff Development Centre of the OUSL, Faculty level and administrative level Quality Assurance related awareness programmes for all staff.
- Establishment of Faculty and administration level Quality Assurance cells and defining their duties and responsibilities.
- Formulating and conducting self-evaluation of the staff and entities of the University.
Quality Assurance Framework
Staff
Former Directors
2015-2018
Prof. H.T.R. Jayasuriya
2018-2023
Prof. S.A.M.A.N.S.
Senanayake
Meetings Calendar
The Standing Committee on Quality Assurance meets once in two months on the last Tuesday at 9:00 AM. The meetings for 2025 are scheduled to be held on the following dates:
- February 25, 2025
- April 22, 2025
- June 24, 2025
- August 26, 2025
- October 28, 2025
- December 19, 2025
Present Members of the Management Committee Of CQA
| Name | Designation |
|---|---|
| Senior Prof. P.M.C. Thilakerathne | Vice Chancellor (Chairperson) |
| Dr. H.M.C.J. Herath | Director/CQA |
| Prof. Anton Piyarathne | Dean/Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Dr. D.V.M. De Silva | Dean/Faculty of Education |
| Prof. V.P.S. Perera | Dean/Faculty of Natural Sciences |
| Dr. L.S.K. Udugama | Dean/Faculty of Engineering Technology |
| Prof. B. Sunil S. De Silva | Dean/Faculty of Health Sciences |
| Prof. Nalin Abeysekara | Dean/Faculty of Management Studies |
| Dr. Romola Rassool | Director/Post Graduate Institute of English |
| Dr. N.K. Abeysekera | Coordinator IQAC/Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Dr. Sasheeka Karunanayake | Coordinator IQAC/Faculty of Education |
| Dr. N. Nilakarawasam | Coordinator IQAC/Faculty of Natural Sciences |
| Dr. R.L.K. Lokuliyana | Coordinator IQAC/Faculty of Engineering Technology |
| Dr. G.N. Dilrukshi | Coordinator IQAC/Faculty of Health Sciences |
| Ms. A.A.I. Lakmali | Coordinator IQAC/Faculty of Management Studies |
| Mrs. K.H.T. Abesekera | Coordinator IQAC/Library |
| Ms. U.H.B. Vindya Angammana | Coordinator/QA Cell/RES |
| Ms. S.A.D.D.N. Samarasinghe | Chairperson/QA Cell/Admin Division |
| Mrs. W.L. Vindya Jayasena | Registrar |
| Dr. W.M.K.G.A. Wickremasingha | Bursar |
| Mr. A.H.K. Balasooriya (Acting) | Librarian |
| Dr. U.S. Premarathne | Director/Staff Development Centre |
| Senior Prof. Shironic P. Karunanayaka (Acting) | Director/Center of Education Technology and Media |
| Mr. Anushka Bandara (Acting) | Director/Regional Education Services |
| Dr. D.H.R.J. Wimalasiri | Director / Student Welfare |
| Ms. K.P.P. Dilrukshi | Convener / Secretary to the Standing Committee |
| On Invitation | |
| Mr. Janaka Basnayakage (Acting) | Director/Information Technology |
| Mr. B.M.P. Somaratna | Director/Operations Division |
Responsibilities of the Director CQA
The Director should be appointed for a period of three years, with the concurrence of the UGC. He/she will be eligible for reappointment for not more than one more term of three years,
- Develop regulations for the CQA and obtain approval from the University Council for the same.
- Prepare operational guidelines for the CQA in accordance with the general guidelines developed by QAC of the UGC and customized for the university’s governance structure/ organogram and specific implementation arrangement.
- Develop a 3-year Strategic Plan for the CQA; Obtain approval from the University Senate and Council
- and concurrence of the QAC of the UGC, before the implementation.
- Develop the annual work plan for the CQA and obtain approval from the University Senate and Council at the Commencement of each calendar year.
- Develop the annual budget for QA activities in the university along with the university’s annual budget estimates submitted to the Treasury and obtain Finance Committee and Council approval.
- Ensure that the CQA is established on the university website and details are updated regularly.
- Report regularly on QA activities and progress to the University Senate and Council.
- Circulate notices of QA activities in the university to the university community and other universities.
- Conduct University and Faculty level awareness programs on QA.
- Initiate and support the preparation of SER for Institutional Reviews.
- Motivate and support study programs to prepare SERs for program reviews.
- Provide necessary training and workshops for Self-Assessment Report (SER) preparation.
- Motivate and support academic staff to showcase best practices in QA.
- Develop relationships and liaise with international agencies and universities on QA activities.
- Support academic staff in the process of preparing proposals for the conduct of new degree programs and ensure that applications submitted to the UGC for approval in this regard are compliant with the Sri Lanka Qualifications Framework.
- Report on university QA activities at the UGC Standing Committee on QA.
- Submit an annual report of the CQA to the QAC of the UGC.
- Convene and facilitate all meetings of the CQA and FQACs.
- Assist manual preparation on QA aspects in Faculties.
Make available to all staff and external stakeholders the results of external and internal reviews, including student surveys.
Responsibilities & Duties of the Coordinator of IQACs
- Liaise with the Director of the Internal Quality Assurance Unit of the University to coordinate university-level Quality Assurance (QA) activities.
- Represent the Faculty/Institute in all QA-related activities.
- Organize Faculty/Institute level QA meetings.
- Suggest names of members to the Dean, to be appointed as domain coordinators or members for each criterion in the Quality Assurance Manuals of the UGC.
- Provide guidance to the domain coordinators and prepare the faculty level Internal QA Report with their support.
- Liaise with professional quality assurance and accreditation bodies on matters pertaining to QA and accreditation, if required.
- Monitor the collation and analysis of Faculty level internal QA data such as peer review forms and student feedback forms.
- Work with other related committees and units within the faculty on matters related to QA.
- Answer and address issues related to QA raised by the faculty members in general and by the QA domain coordinators in particular.
- Report the activities of the Faculty QA Cell to the Faculty Board and IQAU regularly.