University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC) BIT Degree Convocation was held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) recently. Dr. P.S.M. Gunaratne, Acting Vice Chancellor of the Colombo University presided at this ceremony.

UCSC Director Professor Gihan Wikramanayake, speaking about the UCSC Bit Convocation said, "During the past decade, the BIT External Degree of the University of Colombo provided a great boost for the ICT human resource development in Sri Lanka. The UCSC launched the BIT External Degree in the year 2000. Up to date, we have contributed 941 BIT graduates to the ICT industry. They are a massive strength to the ICT industry of our country. The BIT Degree of the Colombo University has reached untold levels of popularity among students attracting over 2000 annually. The BIT programme which consists a Diploma and Higher Diploma has helped to standardise the entry level qualifications to the ICT industry. Colombo University was the first higher educational institution to introduce an internal and external degree for this field."

At this year's convocation, 140 students who had successfully completed the UCSC BIT Degree received their degree certificates. Special note should be taken of the fact that, this year, out of this 140, two Sri Lankan students had successfully completed this degree programme studying from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Colombo University every year bestows the Professor V.K. Samaranayake Commemorative Gold Medal, created to commemorate the late founder of the UCSC, on the student who achieves the Batch Top status. This year, it was bagged by Sirimevan Dasun Nilanjana, who achieved the Batch Top status with a First Class BIT Degree.

The BIT External Degree, introduced a decade ago considering the human resource development as the need of the hour, has today reached a high level of national and international acceptance.