New PIM courses designed to create a society of entrepreneurs
The Postgraduate Institute of Management Alumni (PIMA) of Sri Lanka has expanded its network to link up with the prestigious New South Wales University of Australia enabling 3-5 Sri Lankans to obtain scholarship to follow PhD programmes abroad. This was stated by Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri, Director and Chairman of the Board of Management of the Post Graduate Institute of Management (PIM) of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura delivering the keynote address at the PIMA award presentation ceremony for corporate sector officials held at the Galle Face Hotel Colombo recently. He said the PIM has further extended it’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) Programmes to Dubai and Qatar to enable students to follow those programs. Prof. Dharmasiri said that Sri Lanka needs more entrepreneurs with imaginative skills to uplift Sri Lanka’s economy to come out of the doldrums.
Although 50 per cent of the scientists working at the NASA are from South Asia, the Asian sub-continent remains in abject poverty and that is the paradox. We need team spirit and not a one man show to promote growth of the country.” He said the PIM has functioned for three decades and the institute’s new programes have been specially designed to cater to the third generation of Sri Lankan students. The new courses have been structured to create more entrepreneurs that the country needs and to expand the Small and medium Enterprises (SME) sectors. He said when the institute applied for a Rs. 50 million grant to the then government to expand its scope of its educational activities, pat came the reply that the “PIM with professionals well versed in economics need no money”. The PIMA Diamond Shield for life time Achievement Award 2016 went to Rohan Pallewatta, Chairman /Managing Director, Lanka Harness Company (Pvt) Ltd and Engineer Dr. Jagath Peris, President –Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka – Chairman – National Institute of Exporters.
The PIMA Diamond Service Award for the most outstanding Business Manager of the Year 2016 went to Nishantha Samaranayake of Hemas Pharmaceuticals Ltd. The PIMA Platinum Awards 2016 went to Prof. Ajith de Alwis of the University of Moratuwa, Samith Manjula Perera of Ceylon Biscuits Ltd, and R.M.S. Sarath Kumara, Commissioner of the Department of Registration of Persons. The PIMA Women at the Helm 2016 went to Gayani De Alwis, Lecturer/Manangement Consultant. The Best Under-40 Manager of the Year 2016 went to Pradeep Samantha –Head of Human Resources – LOIC and Indika Prematunga – CFO AIA Insurance Plc. Best Under-30 Manager of the Year 2016 went to K.P.S. Liyanage of Maliban Biscuits Ltd while PIMA NCC Award for most Outstanding Manager in Corporate Social Responsibility went to Ravin Basnayake of Citi Bank.