Demand for accounting professionals is growing, and Sri Lankan graduates are poised to fill this gap. In an environment where global standards are evolving and businesses seek agile, tech-savvy talent, graduates must bring both academic strength and adaptability to the table.
Tishan Subasinghe, Vice President of CA Sri Lanka, believes that the country’s core challenge lies in bridging the gap between academic qualifications and meaningful professional outcomes. Through SAB Campus, the organisation is equipping Sri Lanka’s accounting graduates for a professional future at home and abroad, prioritising social equity, professional mobility, and the long-term viability of the accounting profession.
SAB Campus is CA Sri Lanka’s degree-awarding arm. Could you tell us a bit about the legacy of CA Sri Lanka and how SAB Campus fits into its larger vision?
CA Sri Lanka, founded under Act No.23 of 1959, has a nearly 70-year history of producing chartered accountants. In 2012, its leadership sought to expand beyond professional training, aiming to foster education, research, and development in accounting, auditing, and related
disciplines. These goals aligned with its founding mandate.
This vision led to the creation of the School of Accounting and Business, later
rebranded as SAB Campus. The initiative was intended to serve a broader societal purpose by producing professionals who were also globally employable graduates. SAB Campus offers a distinct value proposition through its integration of academic learning and professional training.
Launched with just 17 students in the 2012–13 academic year, the campus now educates over 2,000 full-time undergraduates. From a modest beginning, it has grown into a key player in accounting education, with ambitions to expand its impact further.
Could you walk us through what your flagship programmes, BSc in Applied Accounting and the B.Mgt in Business Analytics, offer in terms of academic content, industry relevance, and career readiness?
The BSc in Applied Accounting offers a three-year general and a four-year honours track. A defining feature is the mandatory two-year training during the final years. This training is recognised by CA Sri Lanka and counted towards its qualification requirements.
Though distinct from the CA programme, SAB Campus grants significant exemptions: general degree holders are exempt up to the final stage of the CA exams. Since the CA qualification requires three years of training, SAB undergradu- ates cover two-thirds during their degree. Many SAB Campus graduates perform strongly in the CA exams.
A second offering, the Bachelor in Management and Business Analytics, also includes a practical training component, reflecting evolving industry demands. It blends business analytics with data analytics and elements of data science, which are currently in high demand.
Graduates from both programmes are increasingly employable, supported by CA Sri Lanka’s extensive global network. These links improve career prospects, both domestically and abroad.
SAB Campus offers a strong academic pathway at a relatively low cost. How is this achieved, especially given that CA Sri Lanka is a not-for-profit organisation?
As a not-for-profit entity, CA Sri Lanka offers degree programmes at comparatively low cost. The BSc in Applied Accounting is priced at Rs900,000 for the General Degree programme and Rs1 million for the Honours programme. The B.Mgt in Business Analytics costs Rs1 million and Rs1.2 million, respectively, placing it among the most affordable in the market.
To broaden access, CA Sri Lanka has established a scholarship fund, aiming to provide fully sponsored scholarships across all nine provinces. Revenues from the degree programmes are reinvested to expand these initiatives.
Why is it important for SAB Campus to offer academic-to-professional pathways, and how does this support CA Sri Lanka’s vision for talent development?
One of CA Sri Lanka’s founding objectives, as set out in its Act of Incorporation, is to promote education, research, and training
in accounting, auditing, and related fields. This mission is pursued not only through the Chartered Accountancy qualification but also through its degree programmes.
Graduates of the BSc in Applied Accounting receive exemptions up to the final level of the CA qualification. Having already completed two years of mandatory training during their degree, they require only one additional year to qualify. This strengthens the profession by integrating academic and practical foundations. The Bachelor in Business Analytics similarly includes industry-relevant training.
CA Sri Lanka also benefits from a global network of Chartered Accountants, with ten chapters across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Canada, the US, Qatar, Kuwait, and Ireland. These chapters actively support new members in securing international employment.
The demand for professionals in accounting and business analytics is rapidly rising. How does CA Sri Lanka, through SAB Campus, prepare Sri Lankan students to compete and thrive in this global job market?
Global demand for accountants is expected to rise, especially for those from South Asia. Recent conversations with two professional bodies, in the Europe and Asia Pacific regions, reveal a trend: fewer of their students are pursuing accounting. As domestic pipelines shrink, these countries are increasingly looking abroad.
Recognising the strength of Sri Lankan qualifications, institutions like the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales are now offering scholarships to local students. Their goal is to build a future talent pool by supporting the training of Sri Lankan accountants who can meet this growing demand.
For parents weighing higher education options, this context is crucial. A degree should not only offer academic content but also provide relevance, recognition, and clear career progression on the local and global scale. Practical, sustained training and a route to a recognised qualification are essential.