To develop graduate entrepreneurship: UK, Lanka university partnerships

8-Mar-2010

By Ramani Kangaraarachchi

UK and Sri Lanka are prioritizing their investments in developing graduate entrepreneurship and enterprise education.

New businesses can lift nations out of recession through job creation which is economic policy’s top priority. British Council Sri Lanka Country Director, Gill Westway said.

British Council Sri Lanka Country Director, Gill Westway

Speaking at the Enterprise Summit on Developing people for growth and Innovation held at Galadari Hotel on Friday she said developing mutually beneficial partnerships between universities of the two countries will be sustainable specially at a time Sri Lanka is entering an important post-conflict development phase with a vengeance.

“UK has a long tradition of promoting links between universities with Sri Lanka and currently engaged in developing partnerships between higher education institutions in the UK and Sri Lanka through a program titled Prime Minister’s Initiative for International Education.

But the challenge is to engage with Sri Lanka to develop new partnerships to make a real difference to the educational relationship between the two countries,” she said.

At the Enterprise Summit on Developing people for growth and Innovation

Agreements were signed between Plymouth University and the Colombo University and Kelaniya, Durham University with Sabaragamuwa University and London College of Fashion with the University of Moratuwa on Thursday and presentations were made by the relevant representatives at the summit.

Uva Wellassa University, Vice Chancellor Chandra Embuldeniya spoke on ‘Reviving the Fortunes of Sri Lanka and Building an Innovative Future’.

Mobitel CEO Suren Amarasekera also spoke.