The Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the prestigious Deakin University of Australia. SLIIT's close ties with Deakin, established in 2000, spans a decade of teaching excellence between the two prominent institutions. Those present at the signing of the MoU included Chancellor S. Karunaratne, Dr. Mahesha Kapurubandara (Dean, Student Affairs), Dr. Koliya Pulasinghe (Dean/Postgraduate Studies and Research), Dr. Theekshana Suraweera, and Deakin representatives - Associate Professor Dineli Mather and International Marketing Manager, Glen Meehan.

Elaborating on Deakin's experiences working with SLIIT over the last ten years, Chancellor S. Karunaratne stated that the close collaboration has been strengthened over the years, resulting in an affirmation of that bond through the signing of the MoU. There has been a consistent increase in the number of SLIIT students each year at Deakin, due to its curriculum and to the presence of a strong Sri Lankan community in Melbourne and the delightful coastal suburb of Geelong, the main hubs for Deakin's IT Campuses. Deakin's IT Campus in Geelong is known to be the second largest university in Victoria.

Deakin's curriculum, excellent facilities and flexible courses allow students to structure their degree in a manner expedient to their career goals. SLIIT students will benefit from unique course units offered for Information Technology, which provide a thorough grounding in computing skills, with primary focus on theoretical and technical knowledge necessary to enable graduates to keep pace within the constantly changing field of IT. Deakin creates a pathway for SLIIT students to follow the courses offered at this prestigious university, where they are presented with a multitude of choices as to the manner in which they can structure their degree, be it a specialised niche degree (three years), a research-based Honours degree (four years), or a Master's degree in IT and relevant fields of specialisation.

"One of the main attractions for overseas students is the small community-based atmosphere within Deakin", elaborates Dineli Mather. "This informal atmosphere and supportive study environment facilitates open discussion and arms students with the skills necessary to enhance their career aspirations, progressively empowering them to improve their marketability to meet the demands of the IT industry". Moreover, Deakin provides career development learning workshops in order to assess and improve students' generic skills, encouraging them to gain practical experience and guide them through a career path. The internship programmes at the IT campuses at Deakin further develop students' skills - in place of following one unit during a semester, they are encouraged to gain practical experience within the work environment.

Mather further states that SLIIT students perform exceptionally well at Deakin. "Their English skills are very good and they possess a solid technical background". Within the last few years, there has been an increase in the number of SLIIT students being accepted for the Master's and even PhD programmes at Deakin. Career-focused and professionally aligned, the institution's newly revised degrees and curriculum, areas of specialisation and globally recognised industry certifications allow students to gain an edge within a fast evolving and demanding IT environment.