UWU Research Symposium:

Industries will flood growth regions

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

Sri Lanka needs many innovative products to enter new markets from the universities as the country is now rapidly becoming attractive as an investment centre for industry. Speaking at the Uwa Wellessa University Research Symposium on Friday Vice Chancellor Chandra Embuldeniya said that industries will be flooding into growth regions such as Hambantota, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Vavuniya, Colombo and Gampaha very soon.

He said that just as much as industries sprout, a host of jobs will be created.

Therefore country needs more science and technology educated students with the capacity for understanding the myriad of issues in real life problem solving.

Vice Chancellor Embuldeniya said “The basis of value addition to the economy is set by development research and innovation of new products. During the past sixty years the country missed out every opportunity that has produced billion dollar industries through value added products. It is now time for many of our university academics to awaken from their slumber and face this challenge.”

He said that one has to be responsive to the market needs and adjust the strategic path which is a very simple formula people followed in success. Students, academics and administrators need a positive approach to culturing discipline. One must be totally committed to the strategy and persevere at all times to gain the desired results by following the chosen strategy notwithstanding failures on the way. Therefore the effort must be sustained throughout until the objective is achieved. Then identify where adjustments are needed to the strategy.

In the final assessment of a university’s performance there are three aspects to be taken into the broad criteria of evaluation. First, it is the creation and dissemination of knowledge of relevance in the context of national economic development. Second, it is the competence of graduates in the context of knowledge, skills and employability. Third, it is how well the university has extended its knowledge resources to serve the society as its social responsibility.

He said in all these three aspects the UWU graduates are accomplished with market relevant knowledge, entrepreneurial skills, private sector savouring attitudinal characteristics and an association with a remarkable UWU brand image.