Education
Nineteen Pakistani students graduate from Gem Institute
Nineteen students from Pakistan completed a two-month training
programme from Gem and Jewellery Institute (GJI), Sri Lanka, for which
ceremony the Chairman of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA)
attended as the chief guest.
A crowd representing both the gem and jewellery sector in Sri Lanka
and the High Commission of Pakistan graced the ceremony. This occasion
marked a milestone in the history of Sri Lankan lapidary education. For
the first time a group of nineteen students from Pakistan has undergone
a training in gem cutting and polishing in a Sri Lankan Institute, which
is an outcome of the MOU between the two countries, Pakistan and Sri
Lanka for cooperation in the gem and jewellery sector.
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Certificate: The Chairman of NGJA Hasitha Thilakarathne
handing over a certificate to Pakistani student Shahid
Shabir. The Cousellor of Pakistani High Commission looks on
while the Chairman of G.J.L. Sellakumar Kandasamy is in th
background. |
The group comprised of ten students from Northern areas of Pakistan,
eight from Kashmir and one from Punjab. The students were a blend of
first timers, gem miners, lapidary owners and trainers at KADO Gem
Cutting Centre - a project to empower women in Karimabad, Hunza,
Pakistan.
All the students acknowledged that the training offered at GJI was of
high quality. Even the two trainers who underwent the course admitted
that they had a lot to learn during the two months period and were quite
confident that they will be able to share their knowledge with their
students once they go back to Pakistan.
The GJI is a public-private partnership not for profit initiative
with NGJA, EDB, TVEC and GJRTI as members from the State side and the
SLGJA and ten leading jewellery companies from the side of the private
sector.
The active participation of the industry in managing its affairs is
looked upon as one of the biggest strengths of GJI. The scholarship
programme offered by the NGJA for selected courses up to a maximum of 75
per cent of the course fee helps a lot of small companies and
individuals to obtain high quality training at affordable costs.
At present the institute offers training in Jewellery Technical
Drawing, Basic/ Advanced Stone Setting, Basic/ Advanced Gem Cutting and
Polishing and Jewellery Casting and will be expanding itself and
offering a variety of courses in the future.
Marking yet another landmark in increasing internationalisation of
higher education in Sri Lanka, Staffordshire University, a leading
university in the United Kingdom, opened a permanent office in Colombo
recently, to promote its academic programmes and enrol students for
study at its campuses in the UK.
The 'Staffordshire University Sri Lanka Office' has been established
at the Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT) City
Campus premises at, Union Place Colombo.
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Opening: Professor Peter Reynolds and Dr. Hamish Main
opening the Sri Lanka office. |
The opening ceremony was held recently amongst a cross section of
invitees from the education and corporate sectors. Staffordshire
University was represented by, Director of the International Office
Professor Peter Reynolds and, Director of South Asian Partnerships Dr.
Hamish Main.
This appears to be the first instance that a foreign university has
set up an office in Sri Lanka for the sole purpose of promoting its
study programmes and facilitating enrolment and transfer of students to
study on home campus.
Staffordshire University has an enduring collaborative partnership
with APIIT-Sri Lanka and offers several degree programmes in Computing
and Business Management through the APIIT City Campus in Colombo.
Welcoming the guests, CEO of APIIT- Sri Lanka, Dr. Athula
Pitigala-Arachchi spoke on the longstanding relationship between APIIT
and Staffordshire University and stated that APIIT was pleased to play
host to and support the operation of the University Office in Sri Lanka.
Dr. Pitigala-Arachchi said that the opening of the Staffordshire
University Office strengthens and extends the collaborative partnership
between Staffordshire University and APIIT.
He expressed confidence that APIIT will be able to offer more
Staffordshire University degree programmes in Colombo while
simultaneously facilitating the transfer of increasing numbers of
students to study at Staffordshire University in the UK. Professor Peter
Reynolds, speaking on behalf of Staffordshire University, said that the
University was pleased to work with APIIT, a reputable higher education
institute committed to high standards and quality of education.
He thanked APIIT for providing the infrastructure facilities and
resources to sustain the Sri Lanka operation. He explained that the sole
purpose of the Sri Lanka Office would be to provide detailed information
to students about the academic programmes available at the Staffordshire
University campuses in the UK so that the students can make informed
choices about higher studies and future careers. The office will also
counsel prospective students on admission requirements, visa processing,
accommodation in the UK and financial matters. |
