Testimonials
Words cannot express my appreciation for Akila in shaping and refining my perspective towards CIMA Strategic Case Study. Even though I had close to 25 years of work experience and prior professional degrees in the field of Finance and Accounting, Akila stimulated and reinforced the fundamentals of academics by way of practical application of key concepts. The journey of preparing for the exams was highly engaging and I’ve learned to applying the knowledge in my professional world. As a natural motivator, Akila would know how to alleviate self-doubt and push people like me beyond our comfort zones. I wish Akila continues to inspire people who cross paths in the academic, professional and personal sphere, to achieve successes in life.
SCS Student, Bala Arunachalam, India
Sir Akila is one of a kind teacher who goes an extra mile to ensure that his students end up reaching the highest they ever can.
As a student coming from a different field of studies (majoring in Electrical Engineering) and being a candidate who has lost track on CIMA studies for a while, I had no confidence at all on whether I’ll be able to get through my OCS, by the time I decided to sit for the examination. It is then I thought of talking to one of my former CIMA lecturers to get his thoughts on whether it’s a wise decision for me to sit for the OCS in Feb 2021. What I heard from him was, that I don’t need to have any doubt if I follow exactly what sir Akila says. Having faith on his words, I joined the CIMA OCS batch for the Feb 2021 session with Akila sir. Within the first few hours of the very first lecture, I was able to realize that what I’ve heard about the course delivery of sir Akila is true, and that it’ll surely turn out to be even better than I ever expected.
The well structured delivery of the course content and the unique approach he has in teaching can simply get the maximum even out of a lethargic student who joins the course just with the aim of passing the examination. From lectures to mock examinations, everything about the course was very well structured and delivered in a way that anybody could grasp very easily. Sir Akila’s catchy teaching style and confidence on what he delivers can naturally boost confidence among his students. As a teacher, he was concerned on every aspect of the examination and didn’t leave any space for his students to struggle at the examination with anything.
Sir Akila has that magical ability to identify the potential of a student at a very initial stage. The moment he reviewed my first set of answers for the very first time, he proposed a study plan advising that I can reach a high score in my OCS if I focus and work properly. Having such a feedback from sir Akila at the very beginning of the course truly motivated me to go exactly with the study plan he suggested and to put in my fullest effort to reach the highest I can.
With all the unbeatable guidance and motivation by sir Akila, I was able to perform well during my OCS and secure the global rank 3 at the OCS Feb 2021 session. Choosing sir Akila as the tutor for my OCS is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Forever thankful to sir Akila for taking out the best of me.
OCS Student, Asini Kodikara, Global 3rd, February 2021, Sri Lanka
I enrolled for OCS right after my A Levels. It was the first case study exam I was facing and Akila Sir`s competent teaching and mentoring infused a lot of passion and eagerness to aim for excellence. His unique teaching methods were easy to comprehend and the quality of the study materials and mock exams he provided manifest his experience and expertise in the field. His individual attention to students helps them improve their skills and competencies.
I am grateful for the guidance and support that I received from Akila Sir that helped me achieve a milestone in my CIMA Journey as I became a global ranker at the 2021 May OCS exam.
His teaching was not limited to the four corners of the subject but went beyond particularly Inculcating in us values that have left a lasting impact on our lives.
I am confident that in the future too, more students would benefit from his style of teaching and guidance to achieve greater heights in their endeavors.
OCS Student, Naadiya Khulasi, Global 10th May 2021, Sri Lanka
Choosing to study F3 with Salman sir was the best decision I ever made. The hands-on learning opportunities and personalized attention provided me with valuable real-world experience that will undoubtedly boost my career while allowing me to explore my interests and develop leadership skills. I’m grateful for the education and memories I’ve made here.
Divya Muthukuda – Dec 2022 Intake
Mr Akila Gunaratne was the first lecturer I had for the CIMA case studies (starting from the OCS) and his teachings and guidance not only helped me secure a global rank for the OCS but also laid a proper foundation to help me succeed in my entire CIMA journey. He not only taught us subject matter with practical value but also motivated us to keep trying to be better. His teachings were not confined to just subject matter but were life long lessons.
OCS Student, Selani Indrapala, Global 9th, August 2020, Sri Lanka
Salman Sir went above and beyond to ensure that students like me understood the syllabus and the practical aspects of it. His corporate experience allowed us to stay afresh on the business world and how to use CIMA to better achieve career growth.
Ashley Peiris – June 2021 Intake
Albert Einstein once said “It is the supreme art of a teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge” and it describes perfectly my case study experience with Akila sir. CIMA operational case study exam which is presumed by students as one of the toughest and most challenging exams was delivered to us in a manner that made us more curious to explore the case study. His conversant knowledge of management accounting concepts enabled us to easily analyze and work out the numerical calculations. Moreover, even though I did not have any practical work experience at that time, I was able to gain exposure through the practical experiences he shared with us doing his lectures. Further, his methodical teaching methods and question discussions will ensure that the students are well prepared for the exam setting. In addition to his well-disciplined work ethic that inspires the students, his enthusiasm when entering the class encourages the students to reach their maximum potential. I would never have been able to secure a global rank in the CIMA operational case study exam without his continuous support and guidance. Akila sir is one of those few lecturers who will make a lifelong impact on their students.
OCS Student, Dewangi De SilvaMay 2018, Global rank -8th, Sri Lanka
Mr Akila Gunaratne played an instrumental role in my CIMA achievements, especially in securing the Global 5th rank for the Operational Case Study exam. He is gifted with a knack for motivating and encouraging students to believe in themselves and work hard to achieve goals that would have otherwise seemed impossible. Mr Akila is a true inspiration to many aspiring students, and I am grateful for having had the opportunity to learn from him.
OCS Student, Hafsa Nimnaz, Global 5th May 2019
“I was a bit skeptical at first in pursuing CIMA, I didn’t know how it would add value to my career vs. the investment I need to make, especially since I had already done my Bachelors some time back. But after discussing with Salman Sir I decided to start with one lecture for F3 and the rest is history. I loved every bit of learning I received, and now I realize the value of CIMA and how it helps to boost my career. I wish all the best to the lecture panel at Inspire”
Darshana Samaranayake – Dec 2021 Intake
Qualified my CIMA-UK in November-2021 attempt. The journey was good but SCS for me was tough and technical, since I disqualified SCS twice, left with no clue to pass. Struggling with my CIMA qualification, I had chance to get coaching for my SCS examinations held in November 2021. It was a great pleasure knowing Sir, Akila Gunarathna, ACMA, CGMA who had taken up the session as a wonderful mentor and teacher. He made me understand the elements where I was lacking. His thoughtful ideas and guidance, based on extensive experience in the field, let everybody understand that passing Case Studies exam is not possible just by going through all course books. The distinguishing part was delivering an understanding of key components of the course, creating a linkage of course with case study, elaboration of the real life examples, exciting practical applications with interactive sessions, capacity development to think smart and mainly the tips to write the exams. It would be a dishonesty by not mentioning the way he designed the Mock exams and extended chance to attempt in real time exam environment embedded with a detailed evaluation reports on attempted mocks was an outstanding feature. I learned my shortcomings and the way to overcome them during multiple one to one on-line sessions with Sir, Akila. I would say special thanks to him for being there in extending every support and letting me pass the SCS with a flying score of 103. Best wishes and kind Regards for Sir Akila.
SCS Student, Mohsin Khalid, Islamabad, Pakistan
I was able to achieve a world rank of 10 in the February 2022 OCS exam with the support of our lead lecturer, Mr. Akila Gunarathna. To say his teachings simply educated me would be a gross understatement. He carried us through, from start to finish, with his proven knowledge, expertise and experience. Before addressing any subject matter, he made it his priority to prepare our mindsets for the tough task. Coupled with his well structured learning material and exceptional teaching skills, we could not have been better prepared for the exam. Besides the exam skills, he taught us many life long lessons as well. Including how to achieve a goal through structured planning and execution, and applying knowledge to real world experiences. I will surely carry these learnings with me for a long time to come.
OCS Student, Manendri Uduwela, World rank 10- February 2022 OCS
The guidance of Akila sir was really helpful in securing a world prize in the CIMA OCS. His anticipations regarding the OCS was accurate and made us feel comfortable when attempting the questions.He was always accessible to clarify our doubts on all three subjects .The mock exams were comprehensive and helped us to be familiar with the OCS. Teaching style of akila sir was quite effective in cementing the basic concepts and theories of all three subjects in our memory.As a final note akila sir did a excellent job during the OCS lecture series .
OCS Student, Thisara Dewmin, World 6th November 2019
Mr. Akila Gunaratne is truly an inspirational teacher and individual.
Without his support I simply could not have achieved the world prize at the 2020 November CIMA Operational Case Study. His support was what pushed me past the finishing line, and made the difference between a simple pass and what I was able to achieve.
He has a way of teaching that can motivate anyone, and has the experience lecturing that he can help anyone succeed at what he is an expert in. He gives the right amount of relevant guidance to show the path forward, without letting it all feel overwhelming, which I think is something very hard to do.
I thank him for all he has done for me, and countless other CIMA students over more than the last decade.
OCS Student, Sanuja Rajasinghe, World 1st, November 2020
“I really like the lecturing style of Salman Sir for F1. He always made sure to link the theory areas to a common experience in a corporate environment. These links together with his knowledge of the business world in Sri Lanka and other countries allowed students like me to get a broad knowledge of F1. I am happy to say that this was instrumental in passing the F1 OTQ exam in my first attempt”
Dilshanee Jayasinghe – Dec 2022 Intake.