As part of its mission to empower Sri Lanka’s higher education sector, the Lanka Education and Research Network (LEARN) has launched landmark initiatives, reaffirming its dedication to innovation and excellence. Marking 35 years of service to academia, LEARN unveiled strategic partnerships with Huawei, OREL IT, and Inspera during its milestone anniversary event. These collaborations exemplify how new technologies can meet the evolving needs of Higher Education institutions.
As Sri Lanka’s higher education institutions strive to adapt to a rapidly evolving digital landscape, these partnerships aim to provide the tools and resources needed for seamless integration of technology into teaching, learning, and assessment. From Huawei Cloud’s scalable and secure solutions and managed Moodle Learning Management System to Inspera’s transformative digital assessment tools, these partnerships represent a comprehensive approach to driving the digital transformation of Sri Lankan academia.
Joining Forces with Huawei and OREL IT for Cloud Computing
LEARN’s strategic partnership with Huawei and OREL IT marks a significant step towards revolutionising the technological landscape of Sri Lanka’s higher education sector. Formalised during LEARN’s 35th-anniversary celebrations with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), this collaboration is set to deliver innovative cloud solutions and enhanced learning management systems to member institutions.
Huawei Cloud: Enhancing Efficiency and Scalability in Education
At the heart of this partnership is Huawei Cloud, a robust platform that provides member institutions with scalable cloud storage, compute services, and reliable backup solutions. Designed for the unique demands of Higher Education institutions, Huawei Cloud also prioritises advanced data security, safeguarding sensitive academic and administrative information.
One of the most compelling advantages of adopting Huawei Cloud is its cost efficiency. By minimising reliance on physical infrastructure, member institutions can optimise their budgets while upholding high standards of service. Additionally, the platform’s scalability allows institutions to effortlessly adapt to growing demands, ensuring seamless expansion of data storage and processing capabilities without interruptions.
Empowering Institutions with Cloud-based Learning Management Systems
The partnership with Huawei and OREL IT brings a scalable, managed version of the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS), hosted on Huawei Cloud and tailored for higher education institutions. Traditionally, universities and colleges have hosted Moodle on their own servers, often grappling with challenges related to functionality, reliability, and maintenance.
With this managed solution, institutions benefit from a robust and reliable platform that ensures smooth operation, even during peak usage periods. The centralised hosting model removes the burden of individual maintenance, allowing institutions to focus entirely on delivering exceptional learning experiences. This aligns seamlessly with LEARN’s mission to empower institutions through cutting-edge educational technology.
Additionally, transitioning to cloud-based solutions offers significant environmental benefits. By reducing the need for physical infrastructure, member institutions can lower their carbon footprints, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future for higher education.
Introducing Inspera’s Digital Assessment Pilot in Sri Lanka
At its 35th-anniversary celebrations, LEARN announced the launch of an exciting pilot project in partnership with Inspera, a leading digital assessment platform. The announcement was made by Kim Waldgraves, Head of Asia at Inspera, highlighting a pivotal step in modernising academic assessments in Sri Lanka. Set to begin in March this year, the pilot will provide 2,000 students from LEARN member institutions with access to Inspera’s suite of cutting-edge assessment tools for a 12-month period.
About Inspera and Its Solutions
Originating from Norway, Inspera has built a stellar reputation across Europe and Asia for its robust, integrated solutions that uphold academic integrity and streamline assessment processes. The platform’s ecosystem is designed to enhance flexibility, scalability, and accessibility in education. As part of the pilot, Sri Lankan institutions will gain hands-on experience with Inspera’s three core products:
- Inspera Assessment: A comprehensive tool for designing, delivering, and grading assessments. It supports a wide range of question formats and integrates seamlessly with existing Student Information Systems (SIS) and Learning Management Systems (LMS).
- Inspera Proctoring: This AI-driven tool ensures secure and fair assessments through advanced monitoring and proctoring capabilities, safeguarding academic integrity.
- Inspera Originality: A powerful plagiarism detection system that ensures the authenticity of student submissions, promoting fairness and academic honesty.
Details of the Pilot Project
The pilot project will enable 2,000 students from LEARN member institutions to use Inspera’s solutions free of charge over a 12-month period. This initiative aims to gather valuable feedback from both students and educators to understand how Inspera’s tools can enhance the assessment process in Sri Lanka’s higher education landscape. If additional students from other LEARN member institutions express interest, both LEARN and Inspera are open to exploring opportunities to expand the pilot, making these innovative solutions widely accessible across the country.This pilot project underscores LEARN’s commitment to driving digital transformation in Sri Lankan academia, aligning with global best practices in education technology. By integrating Inspera’s advanced tools, LEARN continues to empower institutions to deliver fair, secure, and efficient assessments, ensuring that Sri Lanka’s higher education sector remains competitive and future-ready.
Shaping the Future of Sri Lankan Higher Education
LEARN’s partnerships with Huawei, OREL IT, and Inspera signify a transformative chapter in its 35-year journey, highlighting its unwavering commitment to empowering Sri Lanka’s higher education sector. These collaborations have equipped member institutions with the tools and technologies needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Beyond technological advancements, these initiatives underscore LEARN’s dedication to fostering innovation, cost efficiency, and sustainability in education. With scalable and secure solutions at their fingertips, member institutions are well-positioned to deliver exceptional learning experiences while meeting the evolving needs of students, educators, and administrators.
Looking ahead, LEARN remains steadfast in its mission to drive digital transformation and elevate Sri Lanka’s higher education to new heights. These partnerships are only the beginning of a broader strategy to provide even more robust services, ensuring institutions can excel in an ever-changing global landscape. As LEARN continues to expand its offerings in 2025 and beyond, it reaffirms its role as a key enabler of progress, positioning Sri Lanka’s higher education sector as competitive, innovative, and future-ready.