ISSUES AFFECTING FIRST YEAR STUDENT UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE AND IMPACT ON FUTURE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The undergraduate first year is crucial for their own and their country’s development. Research reveals that students experience difficulties in their first year in university which hamper their potential. Identifying, addressing and resolving these become important to ensure the quality of the Higher Education product, and thereby the development of the country. However, in Sri Lankan HE, the importance of the first year experience and research into it has not received much attention. This study identified multitude of difficulties Sri Lankan first year students experience, as perceived by lecturers and student leaders. Both these parties willingness to help students to resolve problems, shows that there is potential to contribute to sustainable development through producing skilled-graduates who can assume roles of effective leaders and managers.

Keywords: First Year Experience, Skills, Student problems

For full paper: fmscresearch@sjp.ac.lk