GISM supports country, education sector
Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI
In
a country, entrepreneurs emerge with different backgrounds depending on
the requirement for a particular service or product. The opportunities
that emerged in Sri Lanka since the end of the war encouraged even
researchers and professionals to become entrepreneurs. Founder of the
Graduate Institute of Science and Management (GISM) at Nugegoda, Prof.
Dr G G Senaratne is a researcher who had served abroad for many years
and returned to Sri Lanka on the invitation of President Mahinda
Rajapaksa to the expatriates to serve the motherland. He was interviewed
by Daily News Business for the Biz Bud column this week.
Q: What is your background to start this business?
A: I have pursued both academic and industrial careers in
parallel. In my academic career, since 2001, I worked in Massey
University, New Zealand where I received my PhD in Technology, a
multi-disciplinary project on Microwave signal processing for foreign
object identification. My publications and research interests are on
breast cancer detection using microwaves and on engineering of wireless
communications. In my industrial career, I worked in the New Zealand
microwave industry as a senior research engineer and I am a recipient of
the New Zealand Industry Fellowship in 2004.
Prof. G.G. Senaratne |
After completing my studies in Moratuwa University, Sri Lanka, in
1976, I started working in the telecommunication industry and gained
training and experience in the field of radio and transmission
engineering for about twenty years. I also have gained professional
qualifications from the Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka and the
Institute of Electrical Engineers UK in the fields of electronics and
communications. I obtained my MSc degree on Mobile, Personal and
Satellite Communication from Westminster University, UK in 1995 and then
joined the telecommunication industry where I worked as the section head
of Radio and Transmission Training Centre and Telecom repair centre, Sri
Lanka. I am a Member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, UK.
In 2002, I proposed to Massey University to start an articulation
type programme in Sri Lanka but, even though they agreed to the proposal
it was not materialized because of the war situation in the country at
that time. I continued to submit this proposal several times and finally
it came through in 2009 with the end of the war.
Basically I wanted to support the country to reduce the huge amount
of foreign exchange going out on the education of our children while
giving a quality and safe education to them. Today many children going
abroad for higher studies to UK, US and some other countries get into
trouble because they do not know the right path. It is very important to
select the best and feasible programme and a recognized University so
that the student can gain a recognized degree after studying a
prospective and quality education programme. Some so called universities
or educational Institutions offer degree programmes for low rates and
there is no recognition. I want to open their eyes.
On the other hand through my long-standing experience, I had realised
that some industries in Sri Lanka are very lethargic in the absence of
professional development and research facilities. Therefore that is
another area that I focused on for industry training and applied
research.
Q: Is that the reason to establish the GISM Campus?
A: Yes. We started GISM in 2009 to give a quality education to
our students with foreign exposure by doing the first part of the degree
locally and the rest of the programme in New Zealand. The industry
cannot develop and sustain without going for new technology. To get
latest technology we need to work with national and international
networking contacts in education and research. Industry is very
competitive today and they cannot sustain with old technology. We need
to have a research based approach. At GISM we need our students to work
with well-known researchers abroad to get their technology and come back
and apply it in Sri Lanka. This way we can save lot of foreign exchange,
learn from them and utilize that knowledge and experience in Sri Lanka
to develop our economy.
We are launching our research and professional development centres on
October 27 this year and through this we will link industry and public
sector organizations together with experts and scientists to conduct
effective research work and we coordinate until the final outcome is
achieved. Apart from this, through the Professional Development Centre,
GISM envisages to support public and private sector professionals and
other employees to upgrade their knowledge and working skill providing
quality training and skill development programmes. |