Universities: Being self sufficient
Moratuwa dons get down to business
By Suren Gnanaraj
The staff of the University of Moratuwa has set up a limited liability company to do research and consultancy work for the industrial sector.

'Uni-Consultancy Services' will be an autonomous body and its earnings would be used to fund the university without exhausting government coffers, said Professor Dayantha Wijeysekera, the Chairman of the Board of Management and the Vice Chancellor of the University.

"Our experienced staff and advanced research methods indicate the potential we have, and we feel we can use these facets more efficiently through this company," he said.

The university currently has a very strong academic community with nearly one hundred lecturers with postgraduate qualifications (MSc, Ph.D) and a large number of technically qualified staff.

The new company would be located outside the university and run by a separate administrative staff to be recruited soon.

Professor Wijeysekera said that he intends to run this company like a private sector establishment.

The income generated from this venture would be divided between the staff and the university with 65 percent being awarded to the members of the staff and the remaining 35 percent allocated for university expenses and projects.

"This venture would motivate both lecturers and students alike, as they will be remunerated for their services to the company," he said.

Professor Malik Ranasinghe, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, said the university had been generating a lot of income prior to the establishment of this company. "Last year the government grant we received was Rs. 2.5 million, whereas the income we generated through consultancy work and conducting short courses for professionals was Rs. 10 million."

However, all those funds were transferred to the Treasury.

"Thus when the university has to buy even the most basic items, we are forced to follow all government regulations, in terms of time consuming paper work and cumbersome procedures," he said.

He also said that when they buy goods through the government, the university ends up paying a higher price for the same goods, which are available cheaper in the market. The new company would ensure that all university requirements will be provided and government approval and delays would no longer be necessary.

University officials also said that though they have made many technological advances through research and testing, the existing gap between the university and the industry has created very little opportunity for technological transfers.

To ensure that no such obstacles would exist in the future, the university set up a 'University Industrial Interaction Cell,' in July this year, with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank.

The cell is currently organising a series of seminars for the industrial sector, to promote the opportunities available in the university.

Errant job agencies face tough action
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) will crack down on job agencies that fail to take effective action to ensure that migrant workers get paid properly.

The bureau's chairman, Susantha Fernando, said he intends to be "quite harsh" on agents that do not act expeditiously in solving such problems.

Agents may even lose their licences if such incidents are neglected, he warned.

It was unfortunate that the image of foreign employment agents was tarnished in the recent past due to improper practices adopted by a minority of agents, Fernando told the inaugural National Awards ceremony for the most outstanding licensed foreign employment agencies.

"The time is right to dispel such an image and it is in this context that the minister directed me to launch such a programme, to identify and honour foreign employment agents."

Migrant workers have become Sri Lanka's largest foreign exchange earner, remitting Rs. 100 billion last year, Fernando said.

Around 600 licensed foreign employment agencies find overseas jobs for some 150,000 Sri Lankans each year.

Fernando said that while the importance of migrant workers in Sri Lanka's social development needs to be appreciated, the country also needs to recognise the valuable contribution that foreign employment agents have made.

The awards would work as a new incentive in motivating agents to explore new labour markets and promote the employment of skilled personnel in foreign job markets.

Minister of Employment and Labour Mahinda Samarasinghe told the awards ceremony that the government was unable to continue pleading with foreign countries to obtain employment opportunities.

"We have to compete with our Asian counterparts and therefore we must add value to our labour," he said.

Vocational training centres are to be set up by November in nine provinces to develop the skills of those who seek employment abroad, he said.

Job seekers would be trained in English and other foreign languages.

The curriculum for these training courses will be constantly revised to meet specific international labour demands.

"We must remember that it is productivity and high excellence that will capture labour markets and not diplomatic ties that exist between our countries," Samarasinghe said.

Fernando said job agents were trying to find employment for more males in new labour markets such as Europe.

About 70 percent of Sri Lanka's migrant workers are female, which has caused social and family problems.

Upcountry Manpower Agency won the Gold award for the most outstanding agency for the year 2001, whilst Trans Gulf (Pvt) Ltd and Trust Lanka Travels, bagged the Silver and Bronze awards respectively.

Al-Aman Trading Agencies Ltd won the Gold Award for the 'Widest Number of Markets' and George Steuarts Recruitment (Pvt) Ltd won the Gold award for the 'Highest Number of Skilled Employees'.

The Gold award for the 'Best Marketing Efforts' was won by Wayamba Computer (Pvt) Ltd. (SG)

Maritime sector set adrift
Sri Lanka's maritime sector has failed to fully capitalise on its comparative advantages despite its strategic location owing to lack of innovation and foresight in the industry as well as among government planners, a shipping expert said.

"The main drawback has been the failure to adapt to change," Rohan J. Abeywickrema, Director of Sathsindu Ltd, told the inaugural ceremony of the Certificate Course in Shipping and International Trade organised by the Colombo University.

"Lack of skills, professionalism and education can be some of the significant reasons for this state of affairs," said Abeywickrema.

After congratulating the Institute of Workers' Education for initiating the Certificate Course, he pleaded for a full degree course to be started by the university to facilitate the growth of the shipping industry.

Many sectors like the ship registry, manning, bunkering and ship supplies have been having negative growth in the last few years, he revealed, adding that the industry has failed to turn things around to ensure growth.

Abeywickrema also expressed concern about the plight of the island's national fleet.

"It is encouraging to see more private sector investments in vessel purchases but it appears that most of those investments are resulting in negatives returns," he said.

"The state-owned line is having two vessels reaching twenty years. Being an island nation we need a national fleet for our survival and security and state intervention to rescue the industry seems very important and urgent."

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