University for Lankan expats' children

Ananda KANNANGARA

Sri Lankan students and children of Sri Lankan expatriate workers will get an opportunity to have their higher education in an international university set up shortly in Sri Lanka on the directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister of Education Susil Premjayantha said.

The headquarters of the proposed university will be set up at the Postgraduate Institute of Management Campus in Borella. In addition mini international universities will also be established in Kandy and Hambantota for undergraduate studies. The overseas branches of the proposed university is expected to be set up in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and in the Maldives.

Premajayantha said that the proposed university will be set up under a new Act of Parliament and students could follow management, technological and international studies in addition to professionally-oriented higher degrees.

He said establishing the new university was discussed recently with a delegation of Sri Lankan academics and professionals from the Gulf region. Prof. Gunapala Nanayakkara of the PIM International Centre in Dubai and Hemantha Kahawalage of the Sri Lankan Embassy in the UAE were also in the delegation.

The delegation pointed out that over 35,000 Sri Lankan professionals work in the Gulf region and the proposed initiative will enable Sri Lankan to increase their savings and send money to Sri Lanka.