WANTING to contribute to the budding tourism industry in her homeland of Sri Lanka, Dr Dehiwalage Anne Sharmini Perera came to Management and Science University (MSU) to strengthen her knowledge about it.
Taking on the PhD in Business Management with a research narrowed specifically on tourism management, Sharmini took home not just her qualifications, but a life-changing pedagogy on tourism management, which she applied in her business, Medical Tourism Lanka Pvt Ltd.
The company, of which she is founder and director, focuses on medical tourism.
“My business focuses on bringing patients from Seychelles and Maldives for western and ayurvedic treatments in Sri Lanka. We facilitate (their needs) from the point of them leaving their homes coming to Sri Lanka for their medical treatments, observe their progress and provide advice or consultancy,” she explained.
On top of her business, Sharmini’s other responsibilities include being Sri Lanka Technological Campus Business Studies Faculty Head, Sri Lanka Technological Campus Office of Mentoring and Coaching Lead, and an International Authority for Professional Coaching and Mentors certified coach and mentor.
The doctoral research Sharmini conducted was about heritage tourism, where she conceptualised a model to identify the relationship between tourist motivation, satisfaction and loyalty in regard to heritage tourism.
“My research areas were in tourism development, human resource management and organisational behaviour,” Sharmini said.
The right institution
“Travellers are always seeking quality medical assistance at an affordable price. Treatments are economical. We have the expertise in Sri Lanka. However, it is important to identify the opportunity. Covid-19 has taught us that it is all about wellness, and medical tourism has been identified as one of the most important concepts of that spectrum.
Sharmini said her business struggled due to the pandemic, as it was focused on the mobilisation of patients.
“We had a bit of restrictions in bringing the patients. But, the time of quietude helped us to look at how we could redesign the business with the assistance of specialists”.
She said the challenges in her career also extended to other women, especially in balancing personal, family and work commitments.
While choosing the topic for her doctoral study might have been easy, Sharmini said picking the university of her choice was also effortless.
“What attracted me the most about this university was the support extended by the professors, and the culture that is instilled to encourage the candidates and their students to keep up to date knowledge and develop the right skills and attitudes that are expected by the community,” she said.
“Apart from that, MSU is QS-ranked and a globally well-recognised university.”
Prepared for the future
Sharmini’s future endeavour is less about self-profit and more about social entrepreneurship.
“I am more focused on management coaching, mainly helping young girls and women to develop themselves to make an impact on the economy and the industry. I think confidence is key to success. Thanks to my parents who raised me to be confident, it has now helped me to face any challenges confidently,” she said.
Among the accolades and awards Sharmini has accrued are the Woman Leaders Award by the World Women Leaders Congress in 2019, the Award for Top Achiever - Credit Management in 2005 at Dialog Axiata, being rewarded by Telekom Malaysia for Excellent Performance and Contribution towards the Credit Management Division in 2007 at Dialog Axiata, the Certificate of “Warnana” for Excellent Management Skills at Dialog Axiata, and Certificate of “Warnana” for Decision Making for conducting training and facilitating training for billing operations at Dialog Axiata.
To accommodate individuals such as Sharmini, MSU houses the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Faculty of Business Management and Professional Studies, Faculty of Information Sciences and Engineering, International Medical School, School of Pharmacy, School of Education and Social Sciences, School of Hospitality and Creative Arts, School of Graduate Studies, Graduate School of Management and the Centre for Fundamental Studies.
As an applied, enterprise, holistic and international university, MSU’s foundation, undergraduate, post-graduate and flexible programmes are offered through an entry system that facilitates admission of students from all walks of life.
For more information, call 03-5521 6868, email gsm@msu.edu.my, or visit www.msu.edu.my
