On 20 May, AIT received H.E. Professor Tissa Witharana, Minister of Science and Technology, Government of Sri Lanka; H.E. Professor J.B. Disanayaka, Ambassador Sri Lanka to Thailand and also AIT trustee; and Professor Sirimali Fernando, Chairperson, National Science Foundation Sri Lanka.
Minister Witharana said the visit to AIT was to explore possible collaboration between AIT and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Sri Lanka. The Minister expressed interest in partnering with AIT for extensive collaboration in research and development projects that are of importance to Sri Lanka, such as, in the areas of mechatronics, nano-technology, bio-technology and others. The Minister reiterated that Sri Lanka needed to develop its competency in advance technologies, where private and public sector can face the challenges posed by the ever changing environment. His Ministry is keen to build and develop the capacity of human resources in advance technologies for which AIT would be an appropriate partner, both in the short-term and in the long term.
AIT informed the Minister that AIT could partner with Sri Lanka in a model similar to the AIT-Pakistan partnership such as the AIT-Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan partnership in particular for the development of required human resources. Similar to the Local Currency Funds of India, Nepal and Pakistan, AIT officials suggested to the Minister the establishment of a Sri Lankan Local Currency Fund to support AIT students / faculty / staff carrying out research in Sri Lanka.
In view of the urgent need of the Ministry and the Foundation for trained manpower, AIT proposed sending a mobile admissions team to Sri Lanka to identify suitable candidates in the Ministry, Science Foundation and associated organizations. The AIT team could also do a quick survey of the developmental needs of the Ministry and the Foundation, and identify areas of cooperation, including regular postgraduate studies, professional master’s studies, and applied research. Integrated bachelor-master’s and integrated master’s-doctoral programs can be run with Sri Lankan universities. We also informed the Sri Lankan delegation about the AIT Centers in the region and the standing invitation by the Sri Lankan Government to establish one in Sri Lanka. The Ministry of Science and Technology could be AIT’s local partner in the proposed AIT Center in Sri Lanka.
AIT will be sending a list of possible collaborative ideas along with relevant concept papers to the Ministry and the Science Foundation.