Entrepreneurship training for university students

As one of the flagship activities of the University of Moratuwa Entrepreneurship initiative under the NDB Bank Endowed Professor in Entrepreneurship, Prof. Ananda Jayawardane, the University with the collaboration of Young Entrepreneurs Sri Lanka (YESL) has initiated entrepreneurship training for university students for the first time in the Sri Lankan higher education system.

The first session of this highly prospective program is now ready to expose the newly bred young ventures into real world experiences. The 9 companies formed by around 300 students of the University of Moratuwa will officially launch their businesses and introduce their products, services and business ideas to the public.

The Company Launch is to take place at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on October 27, 2011 in the presence of eminent guests including Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayaka as the Chief Guest, Higher Education Deputy Minister Nandimithra Ekanayake as the Guest of Honor, Ministry of Higher Education Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne, Chairman, University Grants Commission Chairman Prof. Gamini Samaranayake and University of Moratuwa Vice Chancellor Prof. Malik Ranasinghe, Vice Chancellors of other Universities, business leaders, media personalities, renowned engineers and several other distinguished guests. The principal sponsor for the event is Etisalat.

Young entrepreneurs Sri Lanka (YESL) is a Member/Franchise Holder of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide commenced in 1919 in the USA, spans the globe with a wide variety of learning experience for young people between 5-25. JA is the World's largest and fastest growing programme around the world empowering young people to own their economic success through programmes in three core areas of financial literacy, entrepreneurship and workforce readiness. The programme is conducted by YESL personnel headed by its President, Patrick Amarasinghe, Department of Management of Technology of UoM and also Guest Lecturers and experts. It focuses on giving practical knowledge on true to life businesses, functionality, operations and also related topics such as legal background and safeguarding intellectual property rights. The students will also get the opportunity to have research opportunities, job shadowing, field visits and as well as the leadership activities.

The first phase of the programme commenced in April 2011 and has produced nine model companies based on various categories from Engineering and Fashion Design & Product Development, to Solution Providers.

The student undergraduates running each of these companies have been given a thorough training and were guided throughout the process of forming companies to launching products and services by the YESL programme. The YESL programme is funded by the NDB Bank upto 400 students and Ministry of Higher Education under the Higher Education for the 21st Century (HETC) World Bank Project up to 100 students.