Innovative Asia: Advancing the Knowledge-Based Economy - Highlights of the Forthcoming ADB Study Report

[Excerpt] The development of knowledge-based economies (KBEs) is both an imperative and an opportunity for developing Asia. It is an imperative to sustain high rates of growth in the future and an opportunity whereby emerging economies can draw from beneficial trending developments that may allow them to move faster to advance in global value chains and in position in world markets. Over the last quarter of a century, driven mostly by cheap labor, developing countries in Asia have seen unprecedented growth rates and contributions to the global economy. Sustaining Asia’s growth trajectory, however, requires developing economies to seek different approaches to economic growth and progress, especially if they aspire to move from the middle-income to the high-income level. KBE is an important platform that can enable them to sustain growth and even accelerate it. It is time for Asia to consolidate and accelerate its pace of growth. Asia is positioned in a unique moment in history with many advantages that can serve as a boost: to name a couple, an expanding middle of the pyramid—Asia is likely to hold 50% of the global middle class and 40% of the global consumer market by 2020; and the growing importance of intra-regional trade within Asia, increasing from 54% in 2001 to 58% in 2011. Many developing economies are well placed to assimilate frontier technologies into their manufacturing environment

Open and distance learning for basic education in South Asia: its potential for hard to reach children and children in conflict and disaster areas

This is the main report in a UNICEF funded project which explores the ways in which, across South Asia, various forms of open and distance learning could be developed to better meet the needs of marginalised children and those affected by natural disaster and by conflic

a critical review of educational challenges and opportunities

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) acts as a significant tool in achieving vital goals in education sector. The development of ICT is a major objective under Sri Lanka’s development vision of becoming the "Emerging Wonder of Asia" as outlined in the Mahinda Chintana 2010 – vision for the future. The research objectives are to explore (1) the importance of the ICT curriculum for the government schools in Sri Lanka (2) find the educational challenges and opportunities for ICT education in Sri Lanka. This research is primarily qualitative in nature, where the survey conducted based on the analysis of previous research papers, extensive literature surveys, previous survey reports and government publications on the above context. The importance of ICT curriculum in government school analyzed and presented using Bennett’s Hierarchy 7 steps model such as Inputs, Activities, Participants, Reactions of participants, Changes in knowledge, Practice change, End results. Lack of computer laboratory and cost of devices, lack of qualified ICT teachers, less motivation towards ICT among school children, require more funds for the implementation and maintenance of computer laboratories, inadequate knowledge in English (language barrier), ICT is not a major subject in the school curriculum, no National Level Certification for ICT for students were identified as a challenges and rising demand for the ICT sector career, high literacy rate of the citizens, properly established and scattered schools provide easy access to the school community, public – private sector partnership, government and INGOs projects were identified as opportunities for the ICT implementation

Effectiveness of HRD for developing SMEs in South Asia

Today South Asia is host to a large youth bulge which is entering the labor market every year posing challenging questions for the national governments in the context of employable skills, space for entrepreneurship, innovation and economic freedom. SME sector provides an opportunity for the young to exercise their ideas and ideals. However a prerequisite for the young to be innovate is the how countries produce and retain a high end human capital. This study provides a review of national socio-economic policies in South Asian region - which answer such challenges.human resource development, small and medium enterprises, economic growth, competitiveness

Development of Lifelong learning through libraries- use of the web pages as a marketing channel in University Libraries of Sri Lanka

Lifelong learning is a concept that a person engages in learning process throughout the whole his/her lifetime by using acquired knowledge and skills, by experiencing in different circumstances, and critical thinking. It also means the obtaining of knowledge and know- how required for one’s living. Objective of this paper was to identify the role of libraries in Sri Lanka for the process of improving lifelong learning and identify strategies applicable from the e-marketing concept. Use of the web pages as a marketing tool among university libraries were examined by logging onto the homepages of respective libraries of government universities. Contents, strategic links, and the accessibility of these homepages were explored. However, this was not a technological exploration but a view in a marketing perspective. Underutilization of university libraries has become a common issue and it was assumed that implementation of Lifelong learning could address this issue to a certain extent. Orientation of marketing can target the real need of users and retain users as lifelong learners. Web pages can be utilized in university libraries to interact with users, conduct live communication with them, develop information skills among users, and disseminate information directly to relevant individual or group. The success of this process leads to the proliferation of Lifelong learning. Thirteen home pages out of Fifteen were logged on. Almost all the pages have given priority to include contact details, history, general procedures of the respective library, online public access catalogue, staff details, and free electronic resources etc. Nearly 50% of libraries have made worthy attempts to link the page with other libraries and information resources available outside. Yet some of these links were not updated or associated with errors of linking. A few libraries have made satisfactory attempts to include subject gateways, Ask a Librarian facility, Live Chat corners etc which are helpful to enhance lifelong learning. Lack of authority, limitation of know-how technology, untrained staff, and limited infrastructure facilities were seen as barrios

The Future Prospects of E-learning: The View of the Apex Body of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in Sri Lanka

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in higher education has created totally a new environment which is fundamentally different from the traditional learning methods. The objectives of the study were to get the view of the University Grants Commission (UGC) about e-learning system and to investigate the possibilities of formalizing its implementation in the universities in future. As it is an exploratory study, the case study method was deemed appropriate. The result of the study shows that the UGC is favorable on the implementation of a campus-wide e-learning system in all universities. Though there is no formal policy on the embarkation of e-learning mode so far, it encourages the universities to adopt the system. This paper has also highlighted the possible areas for the early implementation of the e-learning mode and other requirements that should be considered for the future adoption of e-learning system

Improving E-Readiness of Sri Lanka with Supplementary Grid Supplied Electric Power

This paper focuses on identification of a micro project for improvement of e-readiness of Sri Lanka. First, the proposed strategy by the Government of Sri Lanka is presented. Second, from the proposed strategy, requirement analysis is done to draw a set of requirements, using two approaches: a) E-readiness measurement, b) System analysis using the theory of connection. Third, from the requirements, a micro project is identified that can improve e-readiness of Sri Lanka; the micro project – supplementary grid supplied electric power – is given priority as this project is people-centric, low-cost, and sustainable