Tokyo Cement, Peradeniya varsity to cement better future

Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) Ltd. and the Department of Civil Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya will enhance and strengthen the research and development activities in the area of civil engineering.

"As an industry leader Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) Ltd. (TCCL) is keenly interested in the development of University-Industry collaborations.

The Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya is committed to excellence in Engineering Education. Therefore it is fitting that our two organisations intend to 'Cement a Better Future' as a result of this collaboration", said Joint Managing Director TCCL, S.R. Gnanam.

A ceremony to launch this initiative was held at the E.O.E. Pereira Theatre of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya. The Chairman of TCCL, Edgar Gunatunga and the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof. S.B.S. Abayakoon signed the MoU on the occasion to formalise the collaboration.

According to the MoU TCCL will initially support the research development activities of the Civil Engineering undergraduate program by funding final year research projects. In addition, TCCL will provide all the cement requirements related to these research activities.

In turn, the Department of Civil Engineering will discuss with TCCL their views on R & D requirements related to the Sri Lankan construction industry and these requirements will be incorporated into the Department's research program.

'We both firmly believe that the coming years will witness a rapid development of this initiative to broaden the scope of our collaboration effort and in turn the local construction industry", said Prof. Abayakoon.