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Jump start Sri Lanka: Rotary’s 500 ICT Scholarships worth Rs. 2 billion
In a unique partnership facilitated by the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Philippines, Shobini Gunasekera, 500 ICT scholarships worth Rupees 2 billion for the youth of Sri Lanka has been conceptualized by two Rotary Clubs from Sri Lanka and the Philippines to Jump start the Sri Lankan economy with a leading education Campus in Cebu, Philippines, a press release said.
It said: The reason we branded this ‘ Jump Start Sri Lanka by Rotary’ is because we want support the countries target to make the ICT/BPO sector a $5 billion export generating business said the Rotary District Governor for Sri Lanka and Maldives Pubudu De Soyza. We must focus and build the youth skill set of Sri Lanka.
The collaboration was formally inked through the virtual signing ceremony of a sister club agreement and an MoU on the scholarships program between the Rotary Club of Makati-Circle of Friends (RCM-CoF), Rotary Club of Colombo Reconnections (RCCR), and the Center for International Education Global Colleges Inc (CIE) from the Philippines.
In her remarks, Ambassador Gunasekera elaborated that, “The ICT sector is a major economic growth driver for Sri Lanka and is seen to develop into a $5 billion industry. This worthwhile program will contribute in upskilling our youth and professionals with the current developments in the highly-innovative and constantly evolving industry.”
“I would like to thank Prof. Nelia Cruz Sarcol, the Charter President of the RCM-CoF and the President and CEO of CIE, for this kind initiative.’’ Ambassador Gunasekera added.
The Rotary Project Chairman for Jump Start Sri Lanka Dr Rohantha Athukorala commented “that there are around 24,000 jobs that are on offer by ICT/ BPO companies like HCT, Virtusa, John Keells IT, Orel, 99X among others, but Sri Lanka produces only around 13,000 graduates resulting to a gap that this project will target.”
Speaking about the way forward, Dr Athukorala mentioned that “We will also have a partnership with the Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) who will organize the ” Boot Camps” across the country in partnership with the Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology(APIIT) for the necessary technical requirements to support the online education provided from Philippines.”
The District Governor for Rotary – Sri Lanka and Maldives Pubudu De Zoysa thanked the Ambassador and the Embassy for the support extended. She committed that the best talent will be selected and will benefit in the program. More details will be on the Rotary 3220 website and Rotary FB and Instagrams sites or contact your Rotary Club voiced Governor De Soyza.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
