 With so many students who are eligible of entering university being deprived the chance to do so due to the state university intakes being limited, a majority of students do not have the opportunity to pursue higher education and achieve their cherished dreams.
The Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT) offers a unique scholarship scheme for students who have obtained good Advanced Level results but who unfortunately have not been able to enter the state universities. An opportunity to obtain a degree in Software Engineering and Information Systems with Business Management from the University of Westminster, UK is possible with the scholarship scheme. This is also a cost effective alternative when compared to some of the current prevailing private higher education alternatives available. The IIT student scholarship scheme whilst offering students an opportunity to pursue higher education also enables the country to build up a larger IT workforce, for whom there is, currently a dearth in the industry. The Sunday Times spoke to Associate Professor Alfred Perera, to find out more about their student scholarship scheme.
"This scholarship scheme is developed specially for the Advanced Level high flyers who have been unable to enter the university system. All applications for this scheme will be collected at one central point, out of which the selected applicants will face an IQ test which will be conducted by an independent body. Students who are successful in passing the IQ test will go through a viva process, which will test their capacity to communicate in English and test other factors. Students who get selected through the viva test will gain eligibility to be selected for our scholarship scheme".
The selected students for the scholarship scheme will go through a four month fulltime programme with IIT. This programme will impart skills and knowledge required to be effective employees in the industry. At the end of the four month period students will be able to enter industry as an intern in the area of IT or Business. As an intern they twill be sponsored by selected leading organizations in Sri Lanka. The whole idea is to produce professional individuals with a well rounded training, who will also be gainfully employable by the industry", says Professor Perera.
The scheme itself comprises of two scholarship modes of which include a full scholarship where in which a students total tuition fees will be borne by their sponsor for the entire programme of study which will be for a period of 5 years. The main benefit that the sponsoring organization will receive through this is the ability to gain a well trained employee for their organization for a period of five consecutive years. The second mode of the scholarship scheme will be where the sponsoring organization will bear 75% of a student's tuition costs and the student will have to bear the balance 25%. The benefit that students will have through these scholarship schemes is the ability to obtain an internal degree from the University of Westminster in addition to the five years working experience, which will make them highly marketable products both locally as well as internationally.
"Through our scholarship scheme we will be entering into a tri party agreement between IIT the sponsor and the student. Lectures whilst on the internship will fall on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. Our scholarship schemes have become immensely popular among many organizations as they find this scheme to be highly beneficial. Informatics Private Limited is also one of the main contributors to this scholarship scheme. For the past fifteen years we have been running this scholarship scheme with great success. It has been of immense benefit to students and industry stated Professor Perera. |
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