AHEAD (ACCELERATING HIGHER EDUCATION EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT) PROJECT
The development of the higher education sector is of central importance to enable Sri Lanka to make the transition from a Lower-Middle Income Country (LMIC) to an Upper Middle-Income Country (UMIC). Recognizing this, the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the World Bank have agreed to support the higher education sector through a Bank funded Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD) operation.
The implementing agency is the Ministry of Higher Education and Culture Affairs (MHECA). The University Grants Commission (UGC) coordinates the activities of the universities. An Operations Monitoring and Support Team (OMST) coordinates and supports all AHEAD activities between the MHEH, UGC, and the universities.
AHEAD has three Results Areas:
Results Area 1: Increasing Enrollment in Priority Disciplines for Economic Development
Results Area 2: Improving the Quality of Higher Education
Results Area 3: Promoting Research, Development and Innovatio