CA Sri Lanka’s School of Business Languages to empower professionals for a world beyond borders

CA Sri Lanka President  Tishan Subasinghe

The world's most valuable opportunities are no longer confined by geography. They are created where people, ideas and markets come together. As businesses expand across borders and cultures, professionals are discovering that technical expertise may open the door, but the ability to communicate and connect is what truly creates opportunity.

It is this belief that lies at the heart of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka’s (CA Sri Lanka) newest initiative, the School of Business Languages, which was launched yesterday under the theme, “Connecting the Profession to the World through Languages.” 

Designed to prepare professionals for an increasingly interconnected world, the School will combine language learning with practical business relevance, creating new opportunities for global engagement and professional growth.

The School is also a key initiative under the vision and masterplan of CA Sri Lanka President Tishan Subasinghe, centred on the theme “CONNECT”, a vision that seeks to strengthen connections between the profession, business, the community and the wider world.

The idea reflects a changing professional landscape. Opportunities that once appeared distant are increasingly within reach. Businesses operate across markets and time zones, partnerships span borders, and professionals engage with clients, investors, regulators and colleagues from increasingly diverse cultural backgrounds.

In this environment, professional success depends not only on what they know technically, but also on how confidently and effectively they communicate. “At CA Sri Lanka, we believe that preparing professionals for the future means equipping them with both the knowledge to succeed and the confidence to engage with the world,” says President Subasinghe. 

“In an interconnected world, language proficiency and effective communication skills have become essential tools for professional success. The School of Business Languages is therefore designed not simply to teach languages, but to create opportunities for our professionals and students to connect, collaborate and succeed across cultures and borders.”

From professional expertise to global opportunity

For Chartered Accountants and other business professionals, communication has always been an essential professional competency. Today, however, its significance extends well beyond communicating effectively in one’s own language.

Professionals increasingly find themselves participating in cross-border negotiations, working with international stakeholders, navigating different business cultures and building relationships across markets. Technical expertise remains the foundation of professional credibility, but the ability to communicate across cultures can determine how effectively that expertise is translated into opportunity.

“While expertise builds credibility, the ability to communicate builds opportunity,” Subasinghe noted.

This understanding lies at the heart of the School of Business Languages, with its programs designed around the practical needs of professionals and the business community, combining language development with greater cultural awareness and confidence in professional settings.

The initial portfolio will include Business English, Foundation in Chinese Language for Finance Professionals, Arabic Language for Finance Professionals, and French Language for Finance Professionals.

Rather than approaching language learning as an academic exercise alone, the School seeks to place it firmly within a professional and business context, helping participants communicate with greater confidence and navigate international environments more effectively.

As President Subasinghe puts it, “Every meaningful business relationship begins with understanding, and every global opportunity begins with the confidence to communicate.”

Languages that open doors

English remains the principal language of international business, making strong professional English proficiency an essential capability for Sri Lankan professionals seeking to communicate, influence and lead globally.

At the same time, the inclusion of Chinese, Arabic and French recognises the increasingly diverse nature of international business and Sri Lanka’s engagement with global markets, as 

Chinese can offer professionals greater familiarity with one of the world’s most dynamic business environments, while Arabic and French can create avenues for engagement with important international markets and communities.

For finance professionals in particular, language skills can support stronger relationships, greater cultural understanding and more confident communication with international clients, partners and other stakeholders.

The School therefore represents an evolution from conventional language learning towards a more business-oriented approach, especially one that recognises language as a professional capability and a bridge to international opportunity.

Connecting beyond the profession

Although the School is rooted in the professional development mandate of CA Sri Lanka, its reach extends beyond the Institute’s membership and student community.

CA Sri Lanka President explained that the programs will also be open to non-members, creating a wider platform for professionals, students and others seeking to strengthen their language capabilities for career and business development.

“This broader approach reflects CA Sri Lanka’s commitment to contributing to the development of Sri Lanka’s human capital and strengthening the country’s ability to engage with the global economy,” Subasinghe noted. 

The School will also incorporate a special commitment to supporting public sector professionals involved in diplomatic and business-related missions. Through scholarships, it will seek to create opportunities for those whose roles require them to represent Sri Lanka and engage with international stakeholders.

In this sense, the School is more than a new educational offering. It forms part of a wider effort to strengthen the country’s capacity to connect, communicate and engage with the world.

Investing in the next generation

However, CA Sri Lanka’s vision of connection also extends to Sri Lanka’s youth where, alongside its professional programs, the Institute is also rolling out StepUp English, a national-level corporate social responsibility initiative offering free English language learning to students who are 15 years and upwards. 

Delivered as a self-paced e-learning programme, with an e-Certificate awarded upon completion, StepUp English is intended to reach students across the island, including those with limited access to quality language instruction.

Its purpose extends beyond language proficiency. By strengthening English communication skills, the initiative seeks to help young people broaden their prospects for higher education, employment and personal growth.

“Through StepUp English, our Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, CA Sri Lanka is providing free English language learning opportunities for students who are aged 15 years and above, helping them unlock new possibilities for higher education, employment and personal growth,”  Subasinghe explains.

Preparing professionals for a more connected world

For decades, CA Sri Lanka's professional mandate has been anchored in technical excellence, ethical standards and the advancement of the accountancy profession. The launch of the School of Business Languages reflects an evolution of that commitment, recognising that in an increasingly interconnected world, professional success depends on more than technical competence alone.

For Sri Lankan Chartered Accountants, many of whom work across multinational organisations, listed companies, public sector institutions and international markets, the ability to communicate across languages and cultures has become an increasingly valuable professional asset. It enhances their ability to build relationships, engage with diverse stakeholders and operate confidently in global business environments.

The School has been established with this objective in mind: to help professionals strengthen their communication skills, broaden their cultural awareness and develop the confidence to engage effectively beyond familiar borders.

“Technology may make it possible to connect with almost anyone, anywhere. Yet technology alone cannot create understanding. Successful business relationships continue to be built on trust, meaningful engagement and the ability to communicate with clarity and confidence,” President Subasinghe elaborated. 

A vision that goes beyond language

The launch of the CA Sri Lanka School of Business Languages therefore marks more than the introduction of a new suite of programs.

“The School of Business Languages is about creating new opportunities: opportunities for professionals to broaden their horizons, for businesses to build stronger international connections, for young people to realise their potential, and for Sri Lanka to engage more confidently with the world,” Subasinghe added.

At its heart, the School reflects a simple but increasingly important idea: professional readiness is no longer defined by expertise alone. It is also about the ability to connect.

And in a world where ideas travel across continents and partnerships are built across cultures, the professionals who are best prepared for tomorrow will be those who cannot only understand the numbers, but also speak the language of opportunity.