Applying Barrie's Model to Effectively Develop Graduate Profile for the Defence University in Sri Lanka

A graduate profile shows the qualities of a graduate passing from a particular institution. However, it does not inform the specific attributes that a graduate develops through studies. As a result, universities tend to develop Graduate Attributes (GAs) which are Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs), focusing on what the graduates of a university are capable of doing, which provide essential information for potential employers. Although General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University was established in 1981 and had offered degrees since then, it did not have properly documented GAs until recent. Hence, the specific attributes or capabilities of graduates were not properly documented/exhibited. Therefore, the possibility of applying Barrie's model for developing GAs for the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University was assessed. Barrie's model was used as the framework and its three main components: Scholarship, Global Citizenship, and Lifelong Learning were mainly considered to maintain the holistic nature of the academic requirements. Input from syllabus documents and student/peer contributions were used in the process. In addition, Sri Lanka Qualification Framework (SLQF) published by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in Sri Lanka was also consulted. Eleven GAs were identified to include Discipline based knowledge, Problem solving skills, Communication skills, Team working ability, Management and entrepreneurship, Information technology skills, Leadership ability, Endurance, Professionalism, Lifelong learning skills, and Critical thinking. Under each GA, benchmarks were also developed with an evaluation framework (including measures to obtain employer/student feedback), in order to execute and also evaluate the level of achievement of the GAs by graduates. This study indicates that Barrie's model supported by SLQF can be successfully used to design/develop specific GAs while further facilitating its execution and evaluation.