Newly designated Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Paul Stephens marked his first official appearance in his new role at the launch of a landmark partnership between Firbank Grammar School in Melbourne, Australia, and Ladies’ College Institute of Professional Studies in Colombo on Friday, 12 August 2022, through which Firbank will support Ladies’ College to provide young men and women the opportunity to obtain the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE).

The High Commissioner’s attendance at the event coincides with the 75th year of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Australia, signifying the depth of long-term collaboration behind this partnership between the two educational institutions, which will see experienced mentors from Firbank Grammar School working regularly with educators at Ladies’ College to ensure that the VCE programme is delivered in line with the high standards that have earned Firbank its reputation as one of Melbourne’s leading Schools.

Thus, through this partnership, which is facilitated by administrative support from AustraLanka International Academy, Ladies’ College will allow Sri Lankan students to benefit from Australian education without having to leave the country. Students in the VCE programme at Ladies’ College will share the same experience as students studying the VCE in Melbourne, with access to the same assessments and examinations.

The launch event, which was also attended by Firbank Grammar School Principal Jenny Williams and Director of International Operations Wendy Grant, alongside Ladies’ College Vice Principal Ranmalee Balasooriya and Ladies’ College Institute of Professional Studies Chief Operating Officer Sunimal Fernando, as well as AustraLanka International Academy Director Amila Jayasuriya, began with the traditional lighting of the oil lamp, before representatives from both schools formally signed the partnership agreement.

This is the first such partnership of its kind, where an Australian education institution has undertaken a long-term engagement with a local counterpart to consistently maintain and improve educational standards. While teachers will benefit from an evolving and improving curriculum, students gain the advantage of more holistic educational and assessment methods that go far beyond end-of-year exams.

Speaking about this at the launch event, Firbank Grammar School Director of International Operations Wendy Grant explained that Firbank Grammar School wants all its students, domestic and international, to see themselves as part of the global community, adding: “When they set their sights on success, they make a difference not only in their own countries, but across the world. The relationships that students develop internationally, we believe, will assist this, and help build a collaborative, cooperative global village into the future.”

This concept of the global village is an integral part of the vision of Firbank Grammar School, which has extensive experience in international education, and continues to successfully work with ten partner schools in China and Vietnam.

Wendy also noted that Firbank’s foray into Sri Lanka had long been in the works, with several Sri Lankans having worked with the school in Melbourne, and some of them being Ladies’ College alumni – thus, this partnership was born of the same collaborative culture that it seeks to inculcate in students through its VCE programmes.

The VCE is an internationally recognised senior secondary certificate issued by the Victorian Government that, upon completion, awards students an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) score, which will provide them direct access to universities in Australia as well as around the world. This will open up opportunities to continue their higher education without the need for additional qualifications such as IELTS, allowing them access to better career pathways in the process.

What sets the VCE apart from other qualifications is its emphasis on the development of skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, as it aims to prepare students for lifelong learning and future employment. More than just an exam at the end of the year, school-assessed coursework as well as external exams contribute to an end-of-year study score.