Education officials, government representatives and industry figures from New Zealand and Sri Lanka met in Colombo on Monday to discuss closer cooperation on vocational training and workforce development.
The event, titled Applied Learning and Industry Connect, was hosted by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) at the Shangri-La Hotel. ENZ described it as the first phase of a wider strategy to build institutional partnerships and expand transnational education between the two countries.
New Zealand High Commissioner to Sri Lanka David Pine delivered the inaugural address.
Participants examined how vocational education systems work in both countries and discussed collaboration on programme delivery, trainer training and workforce readiness. The Asian Development Bank contributed a session on Sri Lanka’s skills ecosystem and the scope for international partnerships within it.
“The future of education lies in stronger connections between classrooms and workplaces,” said Adrian Hirst, ENZ’s Regional Director for India and South Asia. “Applied learning ensures students graduate with the practical skills, confidence and adaptability that employers value, while giving industry a meaningful role in shaping the workforce of tomorrow.”
The meeting lands as Sri Lanka pursues reforms across higher education and its Technical and Vocational Education and Training sector, an effort aimed at closing the gap between what training institutions produce and what employers say they need. Skills mismatch has been a recurring theme in government and industry discussion of the labour market, including in debates over foreign employment and export competitiveness.
ENZ ran its first Study with New Zealand roadshow in Sri Lanka earlier this year.
The organisers said the discussions identified opportunities for institutional collaboration and co-designed partnership models. No specific agreements, participating institutions or funding commitments were named in the announcement, and no timetable was given for the later phases of the strategy.
The account of the event was issued by ENZ and carried by Sri Lankan outlets; no independent reporting from the venue has been published.
