'State - private sectors steer development'

Sarath Kumara Rajapaksha

In the present economic climate in Sri Lanka, the State sector and private sector must work hand in hand to develop the nation.

It is vital for a graduate engineer to have a broad understanding of the industry to be part of it immediately after assuming duties, Peradeniya University Vice Chancellor S.B.S. Abayakoon said. He was speaking at the Industry Day program at the University recently.

The Engineering Faculty is aware of these new realities, and is working towards producing engineers who would form the engine that powers the economic growth of the country. Industry Day program is one of the most successful out of several initiatives launched.

The stakeholders of the Industry Day program are undergraduate, postgraduate students of the Engineering Faculty, the engineering industry at large, and the teaching the Faculty staff.

By getting together for two full days, a rich and diverse interaction is expected, where ways and means of mutual co-operation benefiting all stakeholders would be explored. All the stakeholders fully realize the needs. It is envisaged that the program as in previous years, lives up to its expectations.

This is the best forum to display their capabilities, talents and skills and to expose themselves into the future human resource base, he said.

The most important gain of the Faculty by holding this event would be the exposure that the Faculty received at the hands of those that power the country's industry. Being situated away from the economic hub of the country, this type of exposure is very important.

Although the Engineering Faculty is noted for use of their state-of-the art equipment and the know-how as very effective tools in the teaching programs their full potential in industrial applications can only be realized through interactions provided by events such as Industry Day.

Throughout history, we have noted that the industry was quick to respond to these interactions and the combination has done wonders in the past few years, he added.

This is the fifth time that the Industry Day event is held at the Engineering Faculty.