Sharpening the skills of future marketers with "Strangers 2017"

An adventure program designed for brave and the bold “Strangers 2017” is a strategic collaboration by the Department of Marketing Management of the University of Sri Jayawardenepura and the Department of Marketing Management of the University of Sabaragamuwa.

The brainchild of the Department of Marketing Management of the University of Sri Jayawardenepura, “Strangers” will take place for the 4^th consecutive time, this year.

Strangers 2017 is a 3 day competition held from August 24 – 26 in the cities of Colombo, Belihuloya and Ella, the competition is open for undergraduates from foreign, state and private universities along with corporate sector employees.

Whilst the program is filled with fun and adventure the main objective of the event is to help sharpen the skills of future marketers. This outbound experience will be filled with novel ideas and create and exciting and fulfilling experience for all participants. With the magnitude of the event, it being open to international participants, taken into consideration, Strangers 2017 expects to uplift the brand “Sri Lanka” whilst also enhancing the image of the University of Sri Jayawardenepura and the University of Sabaragamuwa in the minds of the general public.

The event was paved way in 2013, taking its founding steps by making the event initially opened to only 1^st year undergraduates from the Faculty of Management Studies and commerce from the University of Sri Jayawardenepura and 2015 embarked the program to be open to undergraduates from international and domestic universities. This year employees from the corporate sector too have been invited this is to strategically exhibit them to the inner workings of the organizing universities and help exposing the dexterity of the undergraduates, this aiming to reduce the gap between the university students and the corporate sector.

To date over a 100 participants from domestic universities and 10 participants from foreign universities have registered for the event. This will also be a milestone for the collaboration between the University of Sri Jayawardenepura and the University of Sabaragamuwa, making it the first time that two departments of two national universities joined hands in organizing a project of this magnitude.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayawardenepura Professor Sampath Amaratunge spoke of his appreciation of his students efforts remarking that the marketing department has always been a pioneer in activities of this nature as the faculty aims to “See things differently” he stated.

Head of the Marketing Department Dr. K.P. Lalith Chandralal stated “Our department ensures to produce quality graduates by providing these marketing undergraduates a world-class learning experience”. He went on to further add the “good opportunities” the event will provide in “highlighting the leadership skills” of undergraduates.

The event will bring together students and corporates from all over the world, ensuring collaboration that one may not find within the confined walls of a classroom and exposing participants as well as organizers to a platform of endless communication possibilities whilst bridging the gap between “Strangers” from various backgrounds to work together as a team.