The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka » Education http://www.sundaytimes.lk Official website of the Sunday Times Newspaper in Sri Lanka Sat, 30 Jun 2012 19:33:49 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Second cut-off list unlikely for top colleges in Delhi http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/second-cut-off-list-unlikely-for-top-colleges-in-delhi-4739.html http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/second-cut-off-list-unlikely-for-top-colleges-in-delhi-4739.html#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2012 14:06:14 +0000 ramesh http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/?p=4739 There is almost no hope of a second list for many coveted courses in the best colleges of Delhi University. Wednesday, Day Two of admissions, saw most courses being completely filled with a few colleges forced to over-admit students across all streams.
Hindu College, which declared the highest cut-off this year, had over-admissions for many of its courses. “We have admitted 45 students against the 39 seats for Political Science (Honours), 53 students against the availability of 31 seats for Botany (Honours), even Physics (Honours ) will be filled by Thursday as there are only about 20 seats left out of the 62 seats,” said Hindu College Principal Pradyum Kumar. Even History (Honours), which drew raised eyebrows for declaring a cut-off with the upper limit of 99 per cent, has seen 25 of its 39 available seats filled. “Even the remaining few will go,” added Dr. Kumar. There is, however good news too. “We will probably have a second list for our B.Com. (Honours) as only 21 of 62 available seats have been filled; our Economics (Honours) course also had only 29 of the total 54 seats filled.”

The college has admitted a total of 518 students, of whom 271 are boys and 247 girls. “Many students from across the country landed here for admissions. Most students from the North-East wanted Sociology (Honours) for which all the seats are almost gone,” he added.
Shri Ram College of Commerce also over-admitted students for its B.Com. (Honours) course. “We have admitted close to 300 students, over and above the sanctioned strength of 252. There are only nine seats left for our Economics (Honours) course for which we have admitted 53 against 62 available seats,” said SRCC Principal P.C. Jain, adding that they had foreseen more admissions on Day Three.
The University rulebook says that all students meeting the cut-offs must be compulsorily admitted and therefore colleges cannot guard against over-admissions after declaring their cut-off lists.

Hans Raj College, which saw around 350 admissions across all streams, might not have a second list for its B.Com. course as almost all seats have been filled and even lesser known courses like B.Sc. (Physical) Sciences has only one seat left. “Forty per cent of our seats have gone, our B.Sc. (Physical) Sciences and B.Sc. (Life Science) were the biggest surprises since we never had such a response before. Even our B.A. (Programme) is almost full, and 30 out of the 46 available seats for English (Honours) are full and we are sure the remaining seats will be filled by Thursday,” said Hans Raj College Principal Dr. V. K. Kawatra, adding that if they had been even a little under the mark while deciding cut-offs, they would have had a huge over-admission problem on their hands. The college’s Hindi course saw relatively poor admissions.

Ramjas College will probably close its B.Com. (Honours), B.A. (Programme) and B.A. (Honours) courses soon. “We have admitted a total of 343 students. The B.Com. (Honours), B.A. (Programme) and B.A. (Honours) courses are full and with one day left we expect over-admissions. It is very unlikely that a second list will come out,” said Principal Rajendra Prasad.-thehindu.com

]]> http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/second-cut-off-list-unlikely-for-top-colleges-in-delhi-4739.html/feed 0 Rivil International at Future Minds Expo 2012 http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/rivil-international-at-future-minds-expo-2012-4733.html http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/rivil-international-at-future-minds-expo-2012-4733.html#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2012 14:03:48 +0000 ramesh http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/?p=4733 Rivil International Education Consultant is proud to take part in the Future Minds Education Expo 2012 which was held at BMICH on 22, 23 and 24 of June 2012 organized by the Nalanda Junior Old Boy’s Association. Large number of parents, students who were seeking higher education options in foreign countries were amongst the crowd.

Rivil is a New Zealand Specialist agent trained and certified by New Zealand Education to promote New Zealand Education in Sri Lanka. Mr. Freddy Variava, International Marketing Manager of AIS ST Helens joined us to counsel prospective students for New Zealand at the Future Minds Expo. AIS ST Helens offer study programmes in Business, IT, Hospitality and Tourism from Diploma, Degree to MBA qualifications in New Zealand.

Also Ms. Mairead Kelly, Head of International and Brian joined us from York St. John University to counsel prospective students at the fair. York St. John University is one of the best universities in the UK to continue your higher education from Undergraduate Degree level to Masters programmes. Currently there are about 40 Sri Lankan student’s studying at York St. John University and they are well settled in York. York is one of the highly tourist visited locations in the UK. World famous York Minster is just walking distance away from the University. Having many restaurants, cafes, bars, and pubs make York a very busy place, students find it easy to get part time jobs in York.

Ms. Angi Yap, Country Manager of TMC Academy, Singapore joined the event giving valuable information regarding Singapore education at TMC Academy. They have partnered with prestigious institutions such as Monash College, Liverpool John Moores University, University of London, University of Greenwich and University of Gloucestershire for pathway Degree programmes.
Rivil offered free 32 hours of IELTS classes for potential students who got enrolled at the Future Minds Expo for York St. John University and AIS ST Helens.

“The mission of Rivil International Education Consultants is to facilitate Sri Lankan students to access quality yet affordable foreign education towards achieving an international recognition of their chosen fields.”We are thankful for the excellent organization and facilities offered to us and to our foreign participants by the Future Minds Organizing Committee during the fair.

]]> http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/rivil-international-at-future-minds-expo-2012-4733.html/feed 0 12month MBA at Oxford College of Business, where dreams are made into a reality http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/12month-mba-at-oxford-college-of-business-where-dreams-are-made-into-a-reality-4729.html http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/12month-mba-at-oxford-college-of-business-where-dreams-are-made-into-a-reality-4729.html#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2012 14:01:27 +0000 ramesh http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/?p=4729 Applying for the 12month MBA at Oxford College of Business (OCB) in affiliation with the Australian Institute of Business (AIB) has always been the No.1 choice amongst many senior managers deciding to start on an MBA program.

One of the main reasons for this is because businesses worldwide rate Australia’s MBA programs highly, it also needs to be mentioned that globally, Australian MBA graduates offer the second highest average salary at US$109,100. This puts the country in second place behind Switzerland, where employers offer MBAs US$10,300 more than Australian graduates. In 2011, Australia was listed as the world’s fourth most popular MBA study destination, with 35% of the 4,527 survey respondents specifying it as their preferred location to take an MBA according to the Economist.

Businesses worldwide have a number of Australian business schools as their preference for hiring MBAs among which the Australian Institute of Business (AIB) is considered to be among one of their top preferences.

Over 4,500 businesses worldwide which are actively recruiting MBAs, provided details of which schools they prefer to recruit from. They rated 11 business schools in Australia amongst the top schools in the Asia-Pacific region, Melbourne Business School was the highest rated business school in Australia. Other business schools in Australia that have featured prominently in the MBA employer rating include , Australian Institute of Business (AIB) in Adelaide , Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Monash University Faculty of Business and Economics, and Sydney Business School at the University of Wollongong. The existence of  the 12month MBA offered by Australian Institute of Business has enabled Sri Lanka’s top corporates the opportunity to obtain a prestigious and highly sought after internal Australian MBA which is internationally and locally fully accredited at a fraction of the cost in just 12 months.
Does the 12month MBA at Oxford College of Business really work?

The main reason why students want to join the 12month MBA at Oxford College of Business is because students are able to mix study with work, as contact hours and lectures are scheduled outside of office hours, and also cater to those commuting internationally; with the existence of the MLearning platform via Mobitel Sri Lanka, all lectures are recorded and uploaded online, which gives the opportunity for students traveling internationally to listen to lectures while on the go.

Mr. Sharon Sahal, chose the 12month MBA at OCB primarily because of the opportunity to practise what he learned on the programme straight away in his role as a senior manager and later as CEO for Expatkey Properties, one of Sri Lanka’s biggest real estate firms.
“Full-time study was not an option as I wanted to apply the skills I learned on-the-job throughout the MBA program,” Mr. Sahal explains “I also wanted the flexibility that the modular program provides. Attending lectures for one month for a particular module and then sitting for the exam at the end of the month allowed me free rein to plan my study time around my life. It was the perfect combination.”

“Reading for the 12month MBA at Oxford College of Business was one of the best decisions I have ever made – I would not change it one bit. At the time of application, I was not entirely sure of all the reasons to study for an MBA. However, this hesitation and uncertainty quickly disappeared upon starting the 12month MBA at Oxford College of Business. The skills you learn, people you meet and quality of faculty are second-to-none.”

From Senior Manager to CEO
A further reason for Sahal enrolling on the 12month MBA at OCB was to prepare himself for his long-term entrepreneurial dream. When joining the MBA program he was a senior manager at one of the top property development companies in the country. However, he witnessed the benefits of graduating from a top business school such as OCB immediately, where he was head hunted as the CEO to Expatkey Properties. “Following graduation, within three months the 12 month MBA at OCB helped me to completely transform my career, the reputation, respect and the regard the industry places on the 12month MBA at Oxford College of Business is not second to any other MBA program in the country, and gives us the competitive edge that we need to clinch that important career break that we are looking for.”

Invaluable MBA lessons
Sahal says his business success stems partly from his MBA studies at Oxford College of Business.
“Having the best MBA in the country from the best business school truly gave me the competitive advantage of reaching my career dreams, further it has also given me the correct skills to handle new work related challenges as CEO. My MBA experience taught me to really refine both the analytical side of my thinking and the creative and emotional side – something that has paid off in droves as I have progressed through my career.”

However, he feels the most valuable lesson he learnt from the 12 month MBA at OCB was learning to take a holistic approach on business, “It teaches you to have a holistic view of the mechanics, strategies and psychology of business. That was invaluable to me.”
When asked what he enjoyed most about studying for 12month MBA at Oxford College of Business, Sahal says it was the challenges. As with many MBA programs, one of the biggest challenges that many students face is the pressure of managing assignments and coursework with family and personal commitments. But looking back at his time at OCB, he says: “My MBA forced me to stretch myself and juggle demanding classes and assignments and before I knew it 12months had already gone by!”

Turning MBA study to business reality
Sahal’s advice for those potential MBA applicants is to select an MBA that helps you to transfer the skills and knowledge learnt in the MBA classroom to the realities of the business world and the 12month MBA at Oxford College of Business makes it happen.
Sahal says an effective leader requires a strong set of skills which the 12month MBA entrenches into all its students: “To effectively lead in an organization, particularly a large one, you first need to develop a vision of where you want to go and have an effective strategy on how to get there.”

“The 12month MBA at Oxford College of Business was truly instrumental in my career progression, the program constantly refined and fine tuned me as I went along. It also helps you to effectively process a lot of information coming to you from many angles and be able to act effectively on that information. It also helps you to have an ability to relate to people, read people, and forge strong relationships at all levels and stages in your career. The 12month MBA offered by the Australian Institute of Business in affiliation with the Oxford College of Business made my dream into a reality!  For more information contact the Malindu Ranasinghe – 0714151547 or visit www.12monthmba.com.au

]]> http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/12month-mba-at-oxford-college-of-business-where-dreams-are-made-into-a-reality-4729.html/feed 0 Graduating Interior Design to Architecture – AOD Interior Designer Amodha Rathnayake http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/graduating-interior-design-to-architecture-aod-interior-designer-amodha-rathnayake-4721.html http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/graduating-interior-design-to-architecture-aod-interior-designer-amodha-rathnayake-4721.html#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2012 13:56:48 +0000 ramesh http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/?p=4721 Sri Lanka has produced some incredibly talented architects, including the internationally acclaimed legend Geoffery Bawa, establishing a thriving architectural industry in the island. The newly emerging interior design industry is now fast becoming the design/creative counterpart of the local architectural business. Amodha Rathnayake, an interior design graduate of AOD (Academy of Design) is a young designer who is contributing to local architecture through her creativity.

Amodha, is currently designing for one of Sri Lanka’s premier architectural firms – MICD led by renowned architects Murad Islmail and Channa Daswatte. “I’ve had some great opportunities to get involved in both international and local projects under the guidance of Archt. Murad. MICD never confines my creativity, allowing me freedom to explore different aspects of contemporary styles”, says Amodha.

Amodha was involved in designing for the refurbishment project for Four Seasons, Maldives and is currently engaged in designing the Citrus chain of hotels for MICD.Amodha also leads her own private practice; “While serving MICD, I’ve started my own practice where I’ve offered design concepts for corporates such as American & Efird Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd, Diamond Cutters (Pvt.) Ltd and Niru Diamonds – Israel. Without confining myself for such corporate designs I’m engaged in few residential designs as well. Factory refurbishment project for Diamond Cutters Ltd. and the infrastructure development project for the Biyagama Export Processing Zone (on behalf of A&E) are considered as challenging projects which I’ve undertaken so far”

Amodha credits her design campus AOD, for teaching her everything she knows about design and interior architecture. “Working on tight deadlines, high expectations leading to out of the box thinking, being extra ordinary among ordinary, managing time, working with different groups of people were few things among a long list of expertise which I gained during my education at AOD. The value of such discipline has come in to the play today in my professional career making me recognized as a young interior designer with a creative flair and professionalism.”

AOD has one of South Asia’s most internationally relevant interior design degrees from Northumbria University School of Design UK. This globally acclaimed degree is delivered in full by an international staff at AOD. “I should acknowledge the hard work and guidance of the academic staff of AOD” adds Amodha gratefully. AOD provides world renowned design degrees in fashion, fashion marketing, interior design, graphic design, motion graphics & animation along with certificate education in jewellery design and photography. For more information contact AOD on 11 5867772/3 or visit www.aod.lk, www.facebook/AODSrilanka

]]> http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/graduating-interior-design-to-architecture-aod-interior-designer-amodha-rathnayake-4721.html/feed 0 Zahira goes from strength to strength http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/zahira-goes-from-strength-to-strength-4712.html http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/zahira-goes-from-strength-to-strength-4712.html#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2012 13:52:03 +0000 ramesh http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/?p=4712 The very first Muslim School in Sri Lanka, Zahira College, Colombo was founded in 1892 as Al Madrasathul Zahira by two of the most prominent Sri Lankan Muslims of that time, namely I.L.M. Abdul Azeez and Arasi Marikar Wapchie Marikar who were both encouraged by Ahamed Orabi Pasha, a prominent Egyptian who was exiled in Sri Lanka.  Today Zahira College is the largest Muslim educational institution in Sri Lanka with more than 4500 students and 250 teachers.  The College which is situated in the heart of Colombo was built on the grounds adjoining one of the oldest mosques in Sri Lanka, the Maradana Mosque.

At the inception Zahira College which was founded during colonial times provided education solely in the English Language, whilst catering to the requirement of upbringing the children in an Islamic environment.   Over the years, Branches of Zahira College were established in Aluthgama (1942), Gampola (1942), Matale (1944), Puttlam (1944) and later on Wekanda.

Under the tutelage of two eminent Principals, Dr. T.B. Jayah (1921 – 1948) and Dr. A.M.A. Azeez (1948 -1962) the College achieved phenomenal growth, rising from 35 students in the year 1894 to approximately 1500 in 1962 by the time Dr. Azeez left Zahira.   Those were indeed the Golden Years in Zahira’s history.   In that period not only did Zahira achieve spectacular results in the academic field, Zahirians also excelled in sports having won Inter-School Champions in Rugby, Cricket, Soccer, Boxing, Wrestling, Cadeting and Rifle Shooting.  Over the years Zahira has produced a large number of eminent Old Boys who have excelled in various academic fields such as Law, Medicine, Engineering, Accountancy and Business Enterprise.

From the very inception, whilst the day to day administration of the College was left completely in the hands of the capable Principals, the management of the College was left in the hands of the Maradana Mosque Committee, until 1982 when through the efforts of the Old Boys Association under the Presidency of Prof. M.T.A. Furkhan, an eminent Old Boy, an Act of Parliament titled the ‘Zahira College, Colombo Board of Governors Act of 1982’ the management of the College was handed over to the new Board.  Since 1982 the affairs of the College have been managed by the Board with the Principals having full responsibility for day to day administration and functioning of the College.

At the time the ‘Board of Governors Act’ was introduced, the Principal of the College was the late Mr. S.L.M. Shafie Marikar who had a distinguished record of service for the fourteen years he headed the school.  In the intervening years eminent persons such as Mr. R.I.T. Alles, Mr. Javed Yusuf and Prof. M.T.A. Furkhan have held the post of Principal.   The current Principal is Mr. Mohammed Jiffry Haniffa who took over the position some eighteen months ago.

Under the stewardship of Mr. M. Fouzul Hameed who took over as Chairman of the Board of Governors in 2006, a well co-ordinated programme to improve the standards of education, sports and extra curricular activities within the Islamic environment of the College has been carefully implemented with commendable success.   Whilst concentrating on improving the teaching standards of the teachers and teaching methodology (by training), tremendous efforts have been put in to improve the infra-structure of the College by completing four important buildings, namely the new Science Block Building, the Al Makthoum Building with 14 classrooms, the Desamanya M.T.A. Furkhan Building with 28 classrooms plus IT, Library and Auditorium facilities and a state of the art Swimming Pool – all within the last four years.

Zahira College is one of the very few schools in Colombo which conducts classes in all three mediums, namely Sinhala, Tamil and English.  The demand for entry to the school has now reached levels which far exceed the number of Year One students that can be taken each year.

The present Principal Mr. Mohammed Jiffry has taken it as a challenge to improve the results further in the Year Five Scholarship, O’ Level and A’ Level examinations each year, and for that purpose he and his Deputy Principal, Mr. A.R.M. Trizvy Marikkar have introduced a series of new steps.   They are confident that now that Zahira has an infra-structure that can compare with any one of the best schools in the Island and with a teacher cadre to match, the future of the current approximately 4500 boys who are educated at Zahira will be bright.  Fortunately, unlike in the past, the parents of the Zahira College students in recent times have shown tremendous interest which should help to produce better results.  The Board of Governors is also planning to set up a modern Hostel with up to date facilities to accommodate eminently capable students from outstations.

Although Zahira College is generally considered a Muslim School, admission has always been open to children of all denominations.  Over the years, Zahira has produced a large number of non-Muslim students who have reached the highest echelons in the professional and academic world.  The Board of Governors of the College has consistently adopted an open policy for all communities, and as required by Islam respects all religions and all human beings as equals.   With more than fifty percent of the teaching staff being non-Muslims there is excellent input from all communities in the co-ordinated efforts of Zahira.

The word “Zahira” in Arabic means “Excellence”.   Zahira College is now relentlessly pursuing a policy “in search of excellence”.  (NW)

]]> http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/zahira-goes-from-strength-to-strength-4712.html/feed 0 Brand Guru of Sri Lanka Hashan Travis Haputhanthri concurs Pakistan..! http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/brand-guru-of-sri-lanka-hashan-travis-haputhanthri-concurs-pakistan-4706.html http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/brand-guru-of-sri-lanka-hashan-travis-haputhanthri-concurs-pakistan-4706.html#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2012 13:47:00 +0000 ramesh http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/?p=4706 One of the Sri Lanka’s  successful Marketing / Brand strategist and Tactician and by the words of the Marketing industry “Sri Lanka’s Brand Guru” Mr. Hashan Travis Haputhanthri had his presentation for his philosophy called “TRAVIS BRANDSOLOGY” in Pakistan .
Hashan was summoned to present his philosophy at   Mohammad Ali Jinnah University (MAJU). MAJU was holding the convention of Emerging trends of Marketing and Management.

Hashan was warmly welcome by the Mohammad Ali Jinnah University , and before he was summoned to present his philosophy he addressed a sixty member MBA students and shared his experience. At the conference Hashan spoke in front of an eminent panel of professionals who are

Receiving a momento from MAJU Pakistan

professors, doctors of Marketing, Economics and Business Management.

“This philosophy will eventually modify the thinking of brand marketing” quoted by Mr Abdullaha of Mohamed Ali Jinnah University.
Speaking to Sunday Times Mr. Hashan said, , “This experience will enhance my vision to work further on elaborating the gravity of brand management. Visiting to this university in Pakistan and lecturing to MBA, Phd and Post Graduate students is an opportunity. This way I can route my philosophy to a cutting edge stance.”

Hashan believes that in Sri Lanka, the brand management concept and the marketing management concept has not properly utilized. “ I strongly believe that MARKETING concept has reached its decline. It is time to move towards the BRANDS. I started to realize this when I started working for brands and that was  16 years ago.  With my brand management, strategy and tactical experience, I thought I should deliver my thinking to the world who believes in brand management in practice.

Hashan Haputhanthri is the General Manager (Marketing) for DSL (PVT) LTD popularly known as Douglas and Sons (PVT) ltd , the market leader for world famous tyre brand GT Radial ,Global Maintenance free batteries, Incoe dry charge range and a first class range of Auto parts represent reputed brands like NGK, Mitsuboshi, Tokiko and etc..

Having more than 17 years of brand marketing experience for both Food and Non Food, Hashan has handled global brands and prominent local brands including Maliban Biscuits. His fearless dedication and strategic/ tactical war techniques gave way to achieve market share for Maliban Smart Cream Cracker, from 19% to 35% over its main rival.

He pioneered and engineered the launch of Maliban Smart Cream Cracker. For this he won the prestigious “Gold award for Turn around brand of  the year2011” at the Brands Excellence award ceremony which annually done by Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing. He invented non – conventional marketing philosophy in Sri Lanka.

He has gained wider experience in of People Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Advertising, International Marketing, Relationship Marketing, Coaching, Training, Lecturing and Mentoring in diverse Industries such as Soft drinks, Cellular and  Newspapers.
He is a Fellow member of Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing.

]]> http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/brand-guru-of-sri-lanka-hashan-travis-haputhanthri-concurs-pakistan-4706.html/feed 0 PIBT – Creating Competent IT Professionals http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/pibt-creating-competent-it-professionals-4694.html http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/pibt-creating-competent-it-professionals-4694.html#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2012 13:43:00 +0000 ramesh http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/?p=4694

Seating from Left to Right – Mohammed Riyaz – Asst. Treasurer, Alshika Grace Daniel – Secretary, Gayathri Bandara - Vice President Organizing, Manish Pradeeptha Dharmawardena – President, Panduka Samarasighe - Vice President Admin, Nevetha Ananth – Treasurer, Sanka Silva – Asst. Secretary, Standing from Left to Right – Dilanka Samarathunga – Committee Member- Young Members forum, Mufeena Saheer - Committee Member – Career Guidance, Consultancies & Research, Dilan Chathuranga - Committee Member – Plan Implementation & Social Welfare, Livan Jayasekara - Committee Member – Publications & HR Related Surveys, Terrence Jalendran - Committee Member – International Affaires, Aruna Lakshitha - Committee Member – Membership Development & CSR, Emran Badoordeen - Committee Member – Marketing Media Coordination

Recently, a survey conducted by New York Times revealed that the IT industry is now amongst the top four dominating global industries. Its rapid growth is mainly due to the high demand for the use of Information Technology and the perspective of employees in the IT field. The main reasons for growth of the IT industry include it being a low risk industry, a profession with high income, suitable job environments and the peers involved.

After the recession period from 2009 – 2011, the demand for IT professionals has been rising at an outstanding rate, with global industry giants in search of competent and qualified IT professionals. Human resources in Sri Lanka stands on top of the world and IT organizations are hiring Sri Lankan IT professionals at a rapid rate due to the efficiency of their work.

There are many options to become a qualified IT head but it takes lots of practical knowledge to become a real professional in any field. Soft skills such as communication, teamwork and presentation are valuable aspects for a qualified individual to be a professional. Understanding these requirements, and to develop Sri Lankan talent in the field of IT, the Pioneer Institute of Business & Technology (PIBT) has the perfect solution to introduce IT professionals to the world.

The Pioneer Institute of Business & Technology (PIBT) offers internal British IT degrees in Sri Lanka in affiliation with the University of Greenwich, a prestigious university in the UK. Greenwich boasts of a rich and illustrious educational history that dates back to 1890. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site and has been awarded the Queens Anniversary Prize for Higher Education & Top in London for Teaching Excellence – 2012.

PIBT recently opened their newest state-of-the-art campus at Flower Road, Colombo 7 with more in-house facilities for students, including sports, library and research lab facilities, providing the perfect campus environment. Creating the perfect graduate with competency for industry needs is the main goal of PIBT and they achieve it focusing on three points – the academic aspect where the study syllabus is a carefully selected format directly from University of Greenwich – London, the practical aspect where all senior lecturers are reputed professionals in the IT industry practising the goal of giving birth to qualified achievers and developing soft skills such as communication, presentation and organizing skills for junior alumni.

With the establishment of the in-house software development training centre monitored by senior specialists of the industry, PIBT has a 100% employee success rate and industry giants are always on the look-out to hire PIBT graduates.PIBT is honoured to provide the service of giving birth to extraordinary IT professionals and your opportunity waits at their campuses. For more information on IT courses offered by PIBT, please visit us or call our Hotline 0773596594 or log on to www.pibtsl.com.

]]> http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/pibt-creating-competent-it-professionals-4694.html/feed 0 Academic and IT – Professional Qualification http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/academic-and-it-professional-qualification-4686.html http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/academic-and-it-professional-qualification-4686.html#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2012 13:38:27 +0000 ramesh http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/?p=4686 Together with (BTEC EDEXCEL HND with Microsoft, Oracle Java, MySQL, Cisco, Linux Certification)
NetAssist International is a Gold Certified Partner for learning Microsoft and Oracle in Sri Lanka and affiliated with Edexcel International. Edexcel International is a Pearson company, which is the UK’s largest awarding body offering academic and vocational qualifications and testing to more than 25,000 schools, colleges, employers and other places of learning in over 100 countries worldwide including Sri-Lanka.

Having realized what the industry needs, NetAssist International offers Professional and Academic Qualifications together by offering Edexcel International’s Higher National Diploma (HND -UK) programmes combined with Vender Certification such as Microsoft, Oracle JAVA, MySQL, CCNA, CompTIA, Linux.

Leads to Final year B.Sc. (Hon) in Computing / Software Development & Networking Degree in Sri Lanka or 100+ universities worldwide.

UK Qualification
Equal to first 2 Years of a UK (Hon) Degree
Leads to Microsoft Oracle Mysql, JAVA, Linux, CCNA ,CompTIA  Certification
Original Course materials, Certificates and CDs from Microsoft, Oracle University
Leads to world renowned professional qualifications from Microsoft Oracle & Cisco
Excellent Job opportunities in Sri Lanka and Overseas.

HND (Higher National Diploma) in Computing and System Development
The HND is an 18 month academic programme that can be completed either on weekdays or weekends, thereby giving the students a valuable qualification that is equivalent to the first two years of a three year British B.Sc (Hon) Degree. Students can then follow one more year of studies to top their qualification with a B.Sc (Hons) Degree from a prestigious UK University. Such universities include University of Glamorgan, University of Gloucestershire, University of Huddersfield, University of Northampton, Oxford Brookes University, University of Plymouth, and University of Salford.  These universities have confirmed that they will give final year entry (Year 3) to BTEC HND students who have studied Business, Computing or Engineering subjects. Acceptance to a university programme however is at the discretion of the individual university.

Edexcel the UK awarding body provides real value to students by validating the Microsoft, Oracle, Java, CCNA with the Edexcel (UK) BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) which allows students access to over 100 universities in the UK, Australia and USA to complete their studies.

Entry level, for Professional and Academic Qualification together
Entry level flexibility allows A/Level students to complete their HND Computing and System Development  – Software with Microsoft C# ASP.Net, Oracle, JAVA, MySQLand PHP  or HND Computing and System Development – Network  with Microsoft, ComPTIA, CCNA, Oracle, Novel SUSE Linux . All fresh students will get introductory course to language and computing with an International Computer Driving Licence certification and will proceed to learn desktop applications during the first semester.

All the students will be eligible to sit for online exams through Prometric Testing Centre and VUE.
Many NetAssist students upon completion work for multinational companies and as consultants for IT giants such as IBM, Microsoft, CISCO, HP and CITI Bank, Ernst & Young etc.

Why Become an Microsoft, Oracle Certified Professional? – (Windows 7 , Server 2008, MySQL, Java, Oracle 10g)
The demand for professionals in information technology (IT) is high, and the competition for jobs is intense. Individuals, experienced or new to the profession, need to know what skills make them attractive to employers. Employers look for ways to distinguish employees and prospective employees who have the solid foundation of skills needed for effective performance. The Microsoft, Oracle Certification Program helps the IT industry to make these distinctions by establishing a standard of competence in specific job roles.
An Oracle Technical Certification is a valuable, industry-recognized credential that signifies a proven level of knowledge and skill.

Affordable Investment, higher salaries
The course fee for the entire programme is affordable and course can be completed in a period of two year time, which will enable the student to find enormous job opportunities in the Industry, with a starting salary per month at Rs.30, 000.  As they gain 3-4 years experience, it is not uncommon to earn a salary of over Rs.120, 000/- per month, whereas other professional degrees take a 2 – 4 years period to complete with lesser earning potential. Microsoft, Oracle, Linux, CompTIA, CISCO Certification courses bridge the information gap about the demand and supply of the IT professionals in ICT industry in the Country. Next intake is in August 2012 for more Information visit www.netassist.com.lk.

]]> http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/academic-and-it-professional-qualification-4686.html/feed 0 Team Blaze from University of Kelaniya wins the CIMA Sri Lanka Global Business Challenge http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/team-blaze-from-university-of-kelaniya-wins-the-cima-sri-lanka-global-business-challenge-4681.html http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/team-blaze-from-university-of-kelaniya-wins-the-cima-sri-lanka-global-business-challenge-4681.html#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2012 13:37:01 +0000 ramesh http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/?p=4681 Six months of anxiety, preparation and hard work, all came to a climax when 4 teams from the original 53 that entered the competition battled it out for the title of country winner in Sri Lanka. The winners would go on to represent Sri Lanka at the global finals of the CIMA Global Business Challenge (GBC) scheduled in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 23 and 24 July. The 2012 CIMA GBC is an international business management competition designed to bring out the very best in the next generation of business leaders by analysing a real life scenario and presenting innovative solutions

At the CIMA Sri Lanka Division amidst an audience of distinguished invitees 4 teams who qualified from the regional finals in Sri Lanka, Team ‘Blaze’ from University of Kelaniya, Team ‘Excella’ from  University of Sri Jayawardenapura, Team ‘Esprit’ from University of Moratuwa, and Team ‘Unorthodox’ from  University of Moratuwa, all made professional and well articulated presentations on a pre set case study and scenario on media production.

Team Blaze from University of Kelaniya carried the title whilst team Unorthodox from University of Moratuwa came a very close second. Team Excella was adjudged the  2nd runner up whilst team Esprit was placed 3rd runner up.This year, over 3500 teams from 22 countries have taken part in the competition, of which over 53 teams registered for the Sri Lanka GBC. Each team won a certificate and cash prizes and gift hampers.

Andrea Sugunasekera, team leader of ‘Blaze’ speaking on their achievement said ‘commitment and team work were the secrets behind our success. Although we had a busy schedule with exams and were from different departments, we still made it a point to find a time slot that all of us were free, which was after 5 p.m. We stayed till late to make sure that we will do our best. So we basically had to do lot of sacrifices taking the competition as a challenge, as we were from different departments there was a good combination. We did lot of research and even on the morning of the competition we went online and updated with the latest financial data. When analyzing the case we questioned ourselves, debated amongst each other and it helped us to better handle the Q & A session. We practiced the presentation so that we will manage our time well’. Andrea also wished to mention a word of thanks to both the academic as well as the non academic staff of the University of Kelaniya and also to friends from the faculty as well as from other faculties who helped them with this achievement.

Bradley Emerson (Regional Director) at CIMA, added:
“CIMA MESANA is very proud of Blaze’s achievement in winning the regional round of the 2012 CIMA GBC. Blaze presented the most appropriate solution to the case, their place in the global final is well deserved.   “The standard of this year’s competition was higher than ever before and these students are well on their way to becoming tomorrow’s business athletes. CIMA represents some of the leaders in business and currently has over 195,000 members and students in 176 countries. I would like to wish ‘Team Blaze’ every success at the global final in Sri Lanka.”

The Sri Lankan will join the other teams flying in from Australia, Bangladesh, Mainland China, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, the Middle East, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the UK, Vietnam and Zambia for the title of ‘Global Champion’.

The CIMA GBC provides students with a great opportunity to test the depth of their financial knowledge and expand upon their business acumen. In addition, it has previously led to internship opportunities with numerous reputable organisations. CIMA offers an international qualification in management accountancy and is the world’s leading and largest professional body in this field.
Follow the GBC experience and support your team on Facebook. Students can share pictures, upload videos and get involved in discussions www.cimaglobal.com/gbcfacebook.

For further information and to register for 2013, please visit the CIMA GBC website at www.cimaglobal.com/gbc

]]> http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/team-blaze-from-university-of-kelaniya-wins-the-cima-sri-lanka-global-business-challenge-4681.html/feed 0 MSU your University of choice http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/msu-your-university-of-choice-4668.html http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/education/msu-your-university-of-choice-4668.html#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2012 13:31:09 +0000 ramesh http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/?p=4668 The Management & Science University (MSU) is one of Malaysia’s top universities.  As a university of choice MSU focuses strongly in the critical areas of studies that encompass medicine, health and life sciences, nursing, pharmacy, business, management, accounting, hospitality, law, information sciences and engineering.

MSU gives priority to quality education and the importance of creative teaching methodologies towards producing quality graduates. Besides incorporating international exposure in the students learning experience, extensive industrial training components are also blended into the programme of study to ensure graduates employability.

As one of Malaysia’s top universities, MSU has received recognition from Malaysian and international independent bodies. It is rated as an “Excellent Status University” by the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia through a rating system on all universities in Malaysia. MSU is also accredited by the by the Accreditation Services for International Colleges (ASIC), UK.  It is also ranked as one of Malaysia’s top private universities through an establishment audit done by Ernst & Young.

The programmes offered along these areas meet the stringent standards set by the local or international bodies. MSU award winning home grown programmes are among the best in the region. These programmes are meticulously crafted to enhance the graduates worth. The university aspires to provide education that will enhance employability of its graduates and at the same time enrich the students learning experience with ethical and moral values.

The recognition of any institution of higher learning lies on the strength of its programmes and faculty members. Whilst ensuring the requirements of academically qualified faculty members are being met, MSU further fortifies its brand image through the deployment of international visiting professors and institutional collaborations.

A global exposure through MSU’s International Students Exchange Programme (ISEP) unit will further strengthen graduates employability standing. Through ISEP students have the options of transferring their final year studies at foreign universities which are partners of MSU. There are over 40 universities in USA, the UK, Australia, Japan, South Africa, India, Eastern Europe, Indonesia and New Zealand for the students’ selection. The opportunity for continuing education at these universities provides a valuable international exposure to the students.

Students from Sri Lanka will now have the opportunity to savour MSU’s quality education through its Colombo Campus. Visit MSU Colombo Campus at 371, R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 3 or call 257 6900/ 257 6644/ 257 6700/ 257 7266 for further enquiries or visit www.msu.edu.lk.

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