AIT Mission to Colombo, Sri Lanka
Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President and Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Director of Promotions traveled to Colombo on 24-25 October 2005 on the invitation of Prof. B.R.R.N. Mendis, Chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC) .
The invitation was called because of the meeting President Irandoust held on 21 September 2005 with Dr. Tara de Mel, Secretary, Ministry of Education, HRD, Cultural Affairs and Adviser to H.E. President of Sri Lanka. On the same day, Secretary Dr. Tara de Mel sent a letter to Prof. Mendis, stating that the Ministry of Education, will be keen and interested to support an AIT Centre in Sri Lanka, coordinated by the Chairman himself, and linked to 2-3 of the best National Universities in Sri Lanka, namely University of Colombo, University of Peradeniya and University of Moratuwa.
Dr. Tara de Mel instructed that AIT should concentrate on 4 areas of national interest to Sri Lanka in coordination with Centres of Excellence in the 4 areas housed in the above mentioned universities. AIT's role would be to establish a link with these Centres of Excellence and offer Short-term Programme, Certificates, Diplomas and Masters degrees in the following fields:
- Bio-Technology
- Renewable Energy
- Food Technology
- Environmental Resources Management
The meetings held on 24-25 October chaired by Prof. Mendis was to discuss at the top administration level 2-3 focus areas. He met with the Vice-Chancellors of Moratuwa University, Colombo University and Peradeniya University. He also wnet to meet with the Deans and Directors of the focus areas.
Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President and Prof. B.R.R.N. Mendis, Chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC)
It was concluded that AIT would work with the Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IBMBB), University of Colombo on Biotechnology/Food Technology aspects. This institute has state of the art equipment/labs/buildings fully funded by SIDA-SURREC.
Also the University of Peradeniya has a Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Biotechnology Centre (AgBc) thus Food Technology aspect will be focused through this Centre.
Renewable Energy focus areas will be handled by University of Moratuwa.
It is envisaged that with immediate effect AIT will establish a link with IBMBB, University of Colombo and AgBc-University of Peradeniya. To offer AIT Programmes at a fee-paying basis and not only Sri Lanka but also to potential candidates from the SAARC countries. A joint advertising campaign will take place, and details activities, strategies will be worked out by a joint AIT/IBMBB and joint AIT/AgBc task force very shortly with a view to launching these two programmes through AIT Centre Sri Lanka by August 2006.
A follow-up mission will take place to the 2 centres mentioned above at the end of November by VP-Research, who is also an expert in the Bio-Technology/Food Technology Sector to discuss more details of the course content, etc. After which the task-force will be formed, coordinated by Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe and the business plan will be worked out and implemented with full support of the respective AIT faculty members.
From left: Prof. Said Irandoust (3rd), Prof. Dayanta Wijesekara (4th), Vice-Chancellor, University of Moratuwa, Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe (6th), Deans and Faculty
Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President and Prof. T. Hettiarachchy, Vice-Chancellor, University of Colombo
Prof. Irandoust also paid a courtesy call on H.E. H.M.G.S. Palihakhara, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (former member of AIT BOT). He briefed, H.E. Palihakhara on the proposed establishment of an AIT Centre in Sri Lanka on the invitation of the Ministry of Education. H.E. Palikhara welcomed the initiative and fully support such activity and would like to be kept informed of the developments of the initiative which will help the Sri Lankan Post Graduate Education Sector.
Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President and H.E. H.M.G.S. Palihakhara, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
AIT's private sector partner, the Commercial Bank of Ceylon and one of the the leading Private Sector Bank in Sri Lanka (voted the best Bank in Sri Lanka for 7 consecutive years by New York's The Banker Magazine) with over 130 branches island wide as well as branches in 4 SAARC countries arranged a reception for Prof. Irandoust. He met with around 50 mid to senior executives from the Sri Lankan corporate community who came to AIT Extension on the series of 1-week Professional Development Programmes that have been jointly organized by the AIT Extension and CBC. Prof. Irandoust was eager on knowing feedback from the participants training experiences at AIT. Over the past 2 years, over 140 managers of the Sri Lankan Corporates have attended such Programmes at AIT.
It was discussed that in the next 3 years, the Programmes will be increased whereby in 2006, 5 Programmes will be at AIT, and 2 in Colombo. In 2007, 7 Programmes in AIT, 2 in Colombo and 2008, 9 Programmes in AIT, 3 in Colombo.
From left: Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Director of Promotions, Mr. Jayanta Jayaratna,, CEO/General Manager, X-pertise Ltd., Mr. S. Sivananthan, Senior Managing Director, Commercial Bank of Ceylon, and Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President.
The CEO/MD of CBC, Mr. Amita Lal Gooneratna hosted a dinner in honour of AIT President, attended by the top management of the Bank. During the discussions if President mentioned that given the credibility of the Bank not only in Sri Lanka, but in the regions as well, AIT would be honored to have a link with CBC-through X-pertise Ltd. to establish an AIT Centre in Colombo to deliver fee paying short term, Certificate, Diploma and Masters Program especially from SOM to the Sri Lankan Corporates.
Mr. Gooneratna was responsive to the suggestions and indicated the willingness of CBC-through X-pertise Ltd. to be AIT's partner and provide all local logistics to implement these ideas. To this effect a joint task force will be formed, coordinated by Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe and meetings will take place in Colombo early 2006 with SOM faculty's input to discuss the details and the Programmes will be launched by August 2006.
Prof. Irandoust also met with Mr. Jerker Thunberg, Charge d' Affaires, Embassy of Sweden, and also met with Mr. Goran Schill, Second Secretary, Embassy of Sweden. He informed Mr. Thunberg of the proposed AIT Centre in Sri Lanka, and future link with IBMBB, which had received Swedish funding.
Mr. Thunberg, fully supports the invitation and will inform his Ministry in Sweden, to look into the possibility to have further Swedish support be given to AIT Centre concept through IBMBB.