An Ontological Framework for Responsibility Coordination in the Student Evaluation Processes: A Case Study from the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka

In Sri Lankan Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), student evaluation and monitoring processes remain difficult to manage due to the absence of a unified framework and systematic approach. Student Evaluation (SE) practices vary considerably across disciplines and faculties, driven by institution-specific and subject-specific policies, with inconsistencies particularly evident among arts, science, and commerce stream, even within the same HEI as observed at Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka. This study employed a hybrid research design that integrated the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) with the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach. The research resulted in the development of an Ontological Framework for Responsibility Coordination (OFRC), created to support the entire SE process. However, the applicability of the framework was validated only within the selected Pre Student Evaluation Phase of the HEIs. The results confirm that the proposed ontology provides a complete and consistent representation of student evaluation actors, activities, and responsibilities, with expert validation supporting its correctness and practical relevance. Explicit modelling of responsibility coordination was shown to improve accountability, transparency, and traceability, providing a validated foundation for the design of digital and Information Technology (IT) enabled student evaluation systems. The research implications are such that this framework is intended for use by system developers, offering a structured foundation that can be directly adopted during system design and implementation. Further, its integration is foreseen to bring several promising benefits, especially in supporting the digitization of evaluation processes. Among many others, such advantages include increased reliability, heightened operational efficiency, smoother workflows, and increased productivity for students and academic institutions in general.