Higher education vistas through GISM

By Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

Minister of Education Bandula Gunawardena and Senior Minister of Scientific Affairs Professor Tissa Vitarana in conversation at the felicitation

Pro-Vice Chancellors Chris More, Robert Anderson and Tony Norris Head of the Institute of Information and Mathematical Sciences at a function hosted by the GISM

Sri Lankan and foreign students now have an opportunity to study at the prestigious Massey University in New Zealand after completing their first academic year of study at the Graduate Institute of Science and Management (GISM) in Sri Lanka.

The GISM, institute is a five story building located at Udahamulla, Nugegoda, is the only institute in Sri Lanka and in South East Asia to be affiliated with the Massey University of New Zealand.

Professor, Dr. G.G. Senaratne, the founder President of GISM said after graduating from the Moratuwa campus he read for the MSC degree on mobile and satellite communication in the United Kingdom in 1993.

Having worked for a long period of time both in Sri Lanka and in overseas he finally migrated to New Zealand where he worked with an academic group.

While in New Zealand he read for his doctorate and took up an appointment as a Professor in Electronics in the largest University of North India.

He said following the defeat of terrorism in Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a plea to all professionals working abroad to return to Sri Lanka.

"I decided to return to Sri Lanka to set up of an educational and a research centre as the best way of serving my country. Whilst in India I made several trips to Sri Lanka.

That was how a Graduate Institute of Science and Management Institute was set up in 2010. We signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Massey University. Following the MoU we further signed an agreement with the Massey university of New Zealand last week so that students can study one year at the GISM in Sri Lanka and two years at the Massey University in New Zealand.

"We have already commenced our academic activities and the intake for the second semester will commence soon. Students can now register at the GISM on August 14 (Sunday) and can come along with their parents and meet the Massey University professors at the GISM at Udahamulla, Nugegoda from 9.30.am. to 12.30 p.m. "Parents and students have an opportunity to discuss matters relating to studies in New Zealand with the foreign professors. Massey University will be in a position to help students with regard to VISA matters lodging and transport facilities. Loans from banks can also be arranged", he said.

Professor Senaratne said students who possess G.C.E. Advanced Level qualification conducted by the Examination Department and those who possess the British Cambridge Examination and those who have passed three science subjects or three Commerce subjects at the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination can apply. However that does not guarantee admission to the Massey university.

Selections will be done at an interview. Subjects available at the Massey University are IT and Computer Science, Software Engineering, Business Management degrees, and Bachelor of Business Studies, he said. "We provide a quality education to students.

When students study at the GISM for the first year they can save around Rs 2.5 million." he said. The website of the GISM is WWW.gismlk.com. The website of the Massey University New Zealand is www.massey.ac.nz. The hot line of GISM is 011 2835935.

Massey University's Pro Vice Chancellors Chris More, Pro Vice Chancellor, Robert Anderson and Tony Norris the Head of the Institute of Information and Mathematical sciences were in Sri Lanka last week to do a feasibility study on higher education and opportunities available here.