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Department of English and Modern Languages

The Department of English and Modern Languages is established with the intention of opening plethora of opportunities for the student community in Sri Lanka in both local and international arena. The department seeks to develop creative and critical thinking, literary comprehension, writing and communicative skills through diverse academic and practical platforms while encouraging the students to explore global socio-cultural elements. The department is committed to fostering an educational environment where the students are directed to experience and prepare to meet the educational, professional, social and cultural demands in the country and beyond.

Department of English and Modern Languages currently offers two degree programmes; BA in Business Communication offered by NSBM Green University and Bsc in Business Communication offered by the University of Plymouth. The department also provide certificate courses for beginners’ level in Chinese and French. Further the department intends to develop language and communicational skills of the students through short courses such as English for Academic Excellence and Conversational Skills.

The Department of English and Modern Languages thrives to develop language and communicational skills of the students while emphasizing the fact that knowledge of English as a second language and the fluency in a foreign language aid the understanding of and participation in world events because it encompasses a fusion of cultural, historical and social backgrounds.

DEPARTMENT HEAD’S MESSAGE

Department of English and Modern Languages is a very recently established department at the Faculty of Business. We are a welcoming and friendly department which strives to create an open and collaborative environment for students to connect, communicate and learn. The department is also committed to empowering all the students with adequate communication skills and producing culturally literate graduates to compete with the multicultural diverse world. We currently offer degree programmes in Business Communication, which could be identified as a fine blend of English and Communication. We pride ourselves on teaching a wide-ranging and innovative curriculum. Apart from these, we also offer short courses in Chinese and French to all the students who desire to learn a modern language. We also act as a service department which offers various English language programmes to all the faculties of the university to enhance English and communication skills which are crucial to compete with the changing world. Collaboration with foreign universities for telecollaboration projects and research is a key strength of the department that supports staff and students to be exposed to the international community.  We welcome more international universities for collaboration in teaching and research. On behalf of the Department of English and Modern Languages, I invite you all to explore our website to learn more about our department, our courses, our people, and our research and teaching. Piyumi Wickramasinghe HOD / Senior Lecturer

Academic Staff

Ms. Piyumi Udeshinee
Ms. Piyumi Udeshinee
Senior Lecturer / Head
Ms. Gayanthi Mendis
Ms. Gayanthi Mendis
Senior Lecturer
Ms. Natashya Chamba
Ms. Natashya Chamba
Senior Lecturer
Ms. Nethmi Udara
Ms. Nethmi Udara
Lecturer
Ms. Fairoza Fairooz
Ms. Fairoza Fairooz
Temporary Lecturer
Ms. Ashani Jayasundara
Ms. Ashani Jayasundara
Temporary Lecturer
Department News

NSBM signs MoU with DIMO

NSBM signs MoU with DIMO

NSBM Green University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC (DIMO) on 26th January 2023, at the NSBM Green University Premises. This partnership was initiated by the Department of English and Modern Languages, Faculty of Business The objectives of this partnership between NSBM and DIMO were to facilitate internship placements for undergraduates,

Business Communication students visit Modern and Contemporary Art Museum

Business Communication students visit Modern and Contemporary Art Museum

The undergraduates following the Bsc Business Communication degree programme at NSBM visited the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art on 18th January 2023 for a guided tour. The museum visit was an important component of their Culture and Society module as it provided insight into the Sri Lankan culture. During the visit, the students were able

NSBM’s Department of English and Modern Languages organizes “Retorika: Transnational Dialogues”

NSBM’s Department of English and Modern Languages organizes “Retorika: Transnational Dialogues”

The Department of English and Modern Languages took the initiative to organize Retorika: Transnational Dialogues, a business plan contest; the outcome of the telecollaboration project the department held with the University of Lorraine, France.  A group of NSBM students representing each department of the Faculty of Business worked collaboratively with a class of Masters in

Student Life

Departmental Programmes 

Apart from the two main degree programmes: BSc in Business Communication (offered by University of Plymouth – United Kingdom) and BA in Business Communication (UGC approved and offered by NSBM), the Department of English and Modern Languages offers short courses and modules that focus on developing undergraduates’ language and communication skills. The department is currently offering the following short courses:

  • Short course – French
  • Short course – Chinese
  • English for Academic Excellence (EAE)
  • Conversational Skills for Career Readiness
  • Short course on Presentation Skills

The short course on French focuses on providing students with the basic foundation to study French as a foreign language by covering the subject areas of basic vocabulary, basic grammar, and pronunciation. The French short course is conducted for beginner level students who are interested in studying the language. Despite the massive demand for the course, a total of 30 students are selected in order to maintain the quality of the programme.

The Department of English and Modern Languages also offers the option of studying Chinese as a foreign language. The course entertains around 25 students per batch and consists of 16 sessions in total. Taught by a native Chinese speaker, the short course does not limit itself to textbook-based lessons, but instead goes beyond to provide students with details of China’s unique cultural background. Each lesson is structured to focus on both speaking and writing skills while covering a particular cultural theme.

English for Academic Excellence provides students with basic and intermediate grammar, speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in English. The course adopts a student-centred learning approach by incorporating diverse exercises and activities that develop speaking, listening, writing, reading and comprehension skills of students in addition to the basic and intermediate lessons on grammar. The purpose of this special course is to provide additional assistance to fresh undergraduates by encouraging them to familiarise themselves with the English language.

Conversational Skills for Career Readiness is a new course aimed at improving students’ public speaking and communication skills. The course specifically focuses on building the personality and confidence of NSBM undergraduates by creating a competitive yet safe space within the classroom to engage in group discussions and public speaking. Students of all faculties interested in developing their oratory skills are encouraged to participate in this short course spanning across three months.

The short course on Presentation Skills has been newly introduced to aid students of each department to improve in their individual academic presentations and group assignments. Participants for the course will be decided by the Heads of the Department with the assistance of all lecturers based on students’ performance. Undergraduates are encouraged to build their confidence through rigorous practice within the classroom throughout this course.

 

News and Info 

Telecollaboration Project with the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain

Department of English and Modern Languages was recently able to successfully complete a telecollaboration project with Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain. Such a telecollaboration project happened in a Sri Lankan university for the first time. The project brought the students of the two universities together to share their cultural values with each other. The purpose of the project was to improve students’ communication skills, especially speaking and listening skills, while helping them to be exposed to diverse cultures. The final year students of the English degree programme of the Spanish university and first-year students who were following the Business Communication module participated in the project. This project required students to engage in mainly two tasks. They had to attend two Zoom meetings with their foreign friends where they had discussions on various topics on culture. They were also required to make videos about various aspects of their culture and to upload them to a new language learning tool, “Soqqle” where they could watch each other’s videos and comment on them. In the end, the students were required to share their experiences in a presentation in the class. Their presentations revealed that the students were highly satisfied with the project, and they recommend the same for future batches as well. However, since this is the first project of this kind, data was collected to measure the effectiveness of the project, and the results will be presented at the EuroCall conference 2022 at the University of Iceland.

 

The Opening of ICML Centre 

NSBM Green University recently took a new step forward in creating a new path for its undergraduates to reach opportunities in the global market with the opening of the International Centre for Modern Languages (ICML). The ICML was ceremoniously opened on 11 March 2021 by the Vice Chancellor of NSBM, Prof. E A Weerasinghe, with the presence of Head- Academic Development and Quality Assurance, Prof Baratha Dodankotuwa, Ms Thilini de Silva, Dean of Faculty of Business, Deans of other faculties, Heads of departments, academics and students. The Chief Guest of the event was Senior Prof Niroshini Gunasekera from the Department of Modern Languages, University of Kelaniya, and the Keynote Speaker was Ms Kumudu Munasinghe, the Head-Corporate Communications at John Keells Holdings PLC. The centre was opened with the vision of providing NSBM undergraduates with global opportunities to integrate easily with the world. A wide range of language courses including Chinese, German, French, English is planned to be offered through the ICML, providing a unique and valuable learning experience to the students.

 

Book Club Sessions by English Literary Association 

The Book Club sessions are regularly held by the English Literary Association (ELA) of the Department of English and Modern Languages where the participants share their thoughts on the books that have left an impact on them. These sessions inculcate the participants  to be engaged in meaningful discussions on books and literature. This is a common platform for all the book lovers in the university to come together and share their passion for books and literature.

 

Departmental Publications 

  1. Business Communication Textbook

The department developed a textbook for undergraduates following the Business Communication common module in their first year, first semester. The textbook guides the students to keep on track with academic content in a convenient manner. At the same time, it helps them widen their intellectual capacities by providing insights into further reading in addition to the typical academic content.

  1. Evergreen – ELA 

The English Literary Association which is established under the Department of English and Modern Languages published “Evergreen” in October 2021, commemorating the 5th anniversary of NSBM Green University. The magazine was enriched in the articles presented by NSBM undergraduates and Alumni. It encompassed milestones of the university over the past five years.

  1. Newsletter

The Department of English and Modern Languages also contributes to issuing Newsletter to share information and keep the subscribers updated periodically. It is a biannual publication issued, highlighting the milestones of the university. The newsletter summarizes the highlights of the university in terms of academic and extra-curricular activities in a nutshell.

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