IT Campus to be set up in Malabe

by L. S. A. Wedaarachchi

The Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT), the pioneer tertiary education institution offering British university degrees has decided to set up an IT campus at the IT Park in Malabe.

Degree and Post Graduate IT Degree programs of the University of Westminster London (UoW) and Keele University will be conducted at the IT campus.

Chairman, Informatics group Gamini Wickramasingha, a pioneer of Sri Lanka's IT revolution said over the last twenty-six years IIT has given Sri Lanka and her Asian neighbours a wonderful opportunity to acquire a full British degree in Sri Lanka.

"We have had our courses constantly monitored to ensure that the best academic standards are maintained so that the degrees obtained in UK or Sri Lanka are the same. We have established a reputation as such and we will continue to maintain", he said.

Explaining the high quality of the IT degree programs conducted by IIT during the last 26 years, the Dean of IIT Prof. Abdul H. M. Hussain said that the World Bank and UGC uphold the Manchester system which was practised by IIT as the best quality assurance system.

According to Prof. Hussain only two percent of Sri Lankan students get a chance to enter the state universities due to lack of facilities. Therefore establishing higher educational facilities to gain internationally recognised qualifications in Sri Lanka is a national requirement", he said.

IIT hopes to attract SAARC regional students to the IIT campus for the IT degree and post graduate programs.

At present the IIT conducts degree programs at the fully fledged institute at Ramakrishna Road, Colombo 6. It consists of a state-of-the art library, well equipped laboratories and indoor and outdoor recreation facilities. More than 1,250 IT graduates who successfully completed their degree programs in Sri Lanka obtained British IT degrees.

The remarkable feature of the IIT degree program is that the programs are designed according to the industrial requirements of the country. The third year degree program is reserved for practical training in an industrial organisation. The industrial training in the third year with leading IT companies gives the exposure and experience needed for graduates to fit into the industry.

Five undergraduate and one post graduate program of the University of Westminster London (UoW) namely BSc Hons Computing, BSc Hons, Information Systems, BSc Hons Information systems with Business Management, BSc Hons Internet Computing, BSc Hons software engineering and the MSc advanced software. Engineering program will commence in September this year.

The UoW courses in Computer Science provide a gateway to professional life and personal development of students in England, Europe and internationally. Westminster's graduates continue the traditions established during the last 165 years of innovation and applied science and they play vital roles in the development of a global knowledge society.

IIT in Sri Lanka shares a common ethos with UoW centred on the commitment to develop students in knowledge and skills which employers require.

The courses are conducted entirely in Sri Lanka and the degree certificate obtained is identical to the one awarded to students at UoW.

Most of the other institutions conducting similar programs in Sri Lanka have to send their students to UK to complete their courses. IIT conducts the programs in Sri Lanka at one-tenth of the cost.

The faculty is supported by eminent visiting lecturers from the State universities and industry. IIT follows the UGC rules and regulations of staff development and it encourages staff to conduct research and obtain higher educational qualifications.