SLIIT to tie up with Prestigious University of Cincinnati

7-May-2010

The Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) will once again progress towards expanding the institution’s educational opportunities globally by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the prestigious University of Cincinnati (UC). 

The U.S-based University will afford SLIIT students a valuable chance to experience highly rated services offered by the institution. Ranked 19th amongst the top 20 universities in America and 4th among 84 universities across 4 continents (through surveys based on the International Student Barometer, the largest annual study of international students in the world), UC has garnered high ratings and recognition for its diverse educational programs and eco-friendly initiatives.

Chancellor and Chairman of SLIIT, Professor S. Karunaratne, explains that SLIIT students will benefit through the IT degrees offered by this acclaimed institution, which also provides opportunities for industrial placement upon completion of their degree. The first two years of study will be conducted at SLIIT, with courses carried out in strict accordance with UC standards, and thereafter students are able to transfer to UC to complete the three final years of their course, one year of which includes co-operative education in which students will go through an industrial placement and obtain their baccalaureate degree in Information Technology at the completion of the programme. Those who acquire a GPA of 3.25 or its equivalent from SLIIT become eligible for the UC Global Transfer Scholarship, valued at $ 7,000 annually.

The MoU will be signed on the 13th of May 2010 by Mr. Jonathan Weller, Director of International Admissions at the University of Cincinnati. Many high-ranking representatives from key institutions and the business sector will also grace the event. Dr. Malitha Wijesundara, Head of the IT Services Division and Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering at SLIIT, states that “this agreement with UC provides possibilities for SLIIT students to expand boundaries and reveal their potential as the university possesses strong links with the industry, therefore giving students a valuable and necessary opportunity to gain first-hand experience through the industry placement scheme of UC’s co-operative education program established in 1906. This IT program at UC is the first of only 14 ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accredited IT programs in the USA”. Adding to this, Professor Lalith Gamage, President and CEO at SLIIT, expresses the view that SLIIT’s ties with UC will contribute towards a fulfilling educational experience, opening yet another door for SLIIT students to make their mark on a global platform. 

SLLIT and UC were brought together by UC’s Lankan representative Ms. Priyanthi Dissanayake (www.scholarshipsforusa.com) who works tirelessly to improve Sri Lankan higher education through such collaborations, making US higher education increasingly affordable to larger numbers of Sri Lankan youth.