South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine [SAITM] offers Sri Lanka's first degree programme in Interactive Media based on computing, the modern way of addressing legacy multimedia.

Information Technology has revolutionized media by changing ideologies and accessibility. With the Interactive media degree programme, SAITM has taken a leap towards formalizing the education of the Sri Lankan youth in this particular study path. Opportunities to work in interactive media such as web design and development, project management, e-commerce, online publishing; video editing and sound production, online broadcasting and digital entertainment are available with SAITM.

Prof. Sirimevan Widyasekara - Dean, Faculty of ICT and Media, informed Sunday Times about this special degree programme. The curriculum of the 3 year degree is created in a way that the syllabus is covered from the fundamentals to the advanced studies using both theory and practical lessons. The first two years of the degree focuses mainly on the fundamentals of computing, applications of interactive media etc.

This course prepares the student to a professional career in interactive media and they have the opportunity to develop websites, 3D and 2D animation, work with industry standard software and to participate in large-scale ongoing digital productions.

Prospective students must complete at least the G.C.E Ordinary Level in order to apply for this programme. Then they could start with the SAITM Diploma and then move on to SAITM /EDEXCEL HND and then the B.Sc. (Hons) in Computing with Interactive Media top up programme offered by the Buckinghamshire New University, UK at a cost affordable to many. This programme also allows admission to those students who have currently started their studies in IT but find more inclined towards creative work than pure programming.

The subjects offered in the degree programme are quite interesting and all the students get individual attention from the lecturers. Within line of the 'Green Campus' concept, the study materials are available in electronic form rather than using paper and the students have the opportunity to record lectures as well as get study support from the Learning Management System, Moodle on the internet .

The faculty contains state-of-the-art facilities such as high speed fibre optic internet, a computer lab [30 high end PCs available] in a Gigabit Local Area Network, 350 seat auditorium with video conferencing facilities and a comprehensive library. The most prominent feature of the faculty is its ultra modern iMac laboratory. 30 iMac computers are set up for the use of the students and at the moment this is the only iMac lab available in Sri Lanka.

With these high end facilities, the Faculty of ICT & Media works in close collaboration with Sri Lankan Rupavahini Corporation [SLRC] and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation [SLBC] for providing them with technical support when they need. SAITM offered its facilities to hold two international new media programmes for Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation in the recent past. The students also had the opportunity to work with veteran film directors such as Sudath Mahadivulwewa and Buddhi Keerthisena.
Furthermore, Prof. Widyasekara informed that the goal of SAITM is to become the best university in South Asia in keeping with its founder chairman Prof. Neville Fernando's ideology and that this would be a good opportunity for the ICT enthusiasts to receive further education and develop their potential to the maximum and he invites those who are interested to visit SAITM and witness the facilities before making a decision on where to study.

Contact Information :
Telephone : (+94)11 241 3351 or (+94) 11 241 3331
E-mail : info@saitm.edu.lk
Mail : Faculty of ICT & Media
South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine
P.O Box 11, Millennium Drive,
Off Chandrika Kumaratunga Mawatha,
Malabe, Sri Lanka.