Dean/AIT Extension, Prof. Gajendra Singh, with, on his right, Prof. M.S . Mookiah, Vice-Chancellor, Eastern University; Mr. N. Pathmanathan, Deputy Secretary-Treasurer, Ministry of Finance & Planning; and Dr. S. Raveendranath, Dean/Agriculture, Eastern University. On Prof. Singh's left is Mr. Bhathiya Sumithaarrachchi, Director/ADB Project; Dr. J.C.N. Rajendra, Dean/Sciences; and Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Office of the President.
Dean of AIT Extension leads mission to Sri Lanka
On April 10, 2003 the AIT delegation led by Prof. Gajendra Singh, Dean of AIT Extension visited Sri Lanka.
The visit is a continuation of their mission held last February 2003 in Jaffna University, which was arranged on behalf of AIT by the Director, ADB Science and Technology Personnel Development Project, Ministry of Science, Technology and Economic Reform. The ADB Project has received funds from ADB for an immediate assessment of the Curriculum Development needs of the three universities in the North/Eastern part of Sri Lanka that have been affected for the past 20 years by the ethnic conflict.
Due to senior level contacts, AIT has developed in Sri Lanka for the past 4 years. Because of AIT's good track record in Sri Lanka under the leadership of AIT President, Prof. Jean-Louis Armand, and his team, the ADB Project has decided to approve AIT to prepare and deliver the first ever 'Workshop and Familiarization Visit on Academic Development for the Academic Staff of Three Universities in the North/East, Sri Lanka.'
The mission led by Prof. Gajendra Singh, arranged and coordinated by Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, was to visit the two universities in Eastern part of Sri Lanka, namely Eastern University, Baticcalo, and South Eastern University, Oluvil. The important visit to these two universities were arranged under the direction of Mr. N. Pathmanathan, Deputy Secretary, Treasury, Ministry of Finance and Planning, and also Member of the Board of Eastern University. The Director, ADB Science and Technology Project accompanied and attended the meetings. Based on the discussions arising from this visit, AIT Extension has prepared a three-week workshop/familiarization for 10 academic staff of the three universities. The proposal on April 11, 2003 was accepted by the ADB Project Director, and will be implemented shortly. Based on the successful outcome of this study visit to Thailand, plans will be made for further specific short-term training of 1-2 months duration in AIT for the academic staff of the three universities.
Prof. Singh and Mr. Jayasinghe also had discussion with the Additional Secretary, Policy Planning and Management, Ministry of Education, HRD and Cultural Affairs, where three AIT short-term training proposals were discussed. Details of these meetings can be obtained from Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe.
Prof. Singh, with on his right, Mr. A.S.M. Rizwi, Head/Department of Mathematics & Computer Sciences, South Eastern University; Prof. U.K.
Ganesalingam; Mrs. V. Santhanam, Dean/Sciences, South Eastern University. On Prof. Singh's left is Mr. Bhathiya Sumithaarrachchi, Director/ADB Project; Mr. N.F. Nawaz, Head/Department of Physical Sciences; and Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Office of the President.