A visual management system for universities: A case study of the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Expansion of the boundaries of human knowledge is the key to enhance the quality of civilization. Knowledge results in system. Systems, in turn, make better environments where human beings could maintain high standards of life. We all are aware of the famous saying of Munidasa Kumarathunga, the renowned Grammarian of Sinhala language and patriotic, which state that “a nation cannot achieve success unless new discoveries are made.” (alut alut de notanana jaatiya lova nonage). When we were students we had to face lot of difficulties within the university premises, due to lack of a proper system of visual management. When we became members of the staff as academic and administrative officers we faced more difficulties in regard to above mentioned matter. We experienced this problem specially, when a new batch of students enter the university. Also, in the recent past various fee levying postgraduate and diploma courses have been introduced by our faculties and thousands of external students have been registered for undergraduate degree at CODL. As such, we are in need of a systematic way to handle this mass who interacts with our various academic and administrative departments/branches in the University. When we undertook our postgraduate degrees in various foreign countries such as India, Russia, Germany and United Kingdom etc. we have been inspired by the visual management systems displayed by their universities. Certainly they are applying their knowledge to the betterment of their own society. These thoughts inspired us and as a result we have made an attempt to introduce a visual management system for our university. We hope that this kind of visual management system can be applied to any university.