The Project will also develop and commission short-term training and capacity building courses for staff in higher education from a number of sources: the Staff Development Center (SDCs) themselves, professional bodies, external agencies and private sector providers. The UGC has identified six main headings within which short term training should take place and, after extensive consultation involving workshops in all universities, these have been extended into categories of short term training need. These categories include themes such as Strategic Management, Research Methodologies, Laboratory Management and Training for Secretaries.

The short term training courses will cover all specialist staff in the administration such as wardens of hostels and university bursars. Management development of senior staff will also receive particular attention, since it is now recognized globally that the managerial challenges facing leaders in higher education are very complex and require exceptional personal and technical skills. Thus the courses that will be developed in this area will be run nationally and may involve the use of international providers in order to benefit from international experience. Such courses will focus on strategic issues and will be open to the senior management of the MHE, UGC and SLIATE as well as universities.