PIM’s MBA program in Doha patronised by Sri Lanka’s new Ambassador and Central Province Governor

Sri Lankan professionals participating in the MBA course conducted by Postgraduate Institute of Management (seated) PIM’s Senior Consultant Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria, Governor Central Province Niluka Ekanayake and Ambassador to Qatar A.S.P. Liyanage

Since 2010, Sri Lanka’s only premier postgraduate institute, namely the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) has been conducting Master of Business (MBA) programs in several Middle East countries, such as Dubai (UAE) and Doha (Qatar). Later this year Muscat and Kuwait will also be covered. 

These MBA study programs are done for the benefit of the Sri Lankan professionals employed in those countries so that they can acquire advanced professional qualification for their individual career development. 

The MBA programs are of two year duration and are very popular with Sri Lankan professionals working in those countries such as engineers, quantity surveyors, accountants, bankers, insurance and management executives.

This year one of the compulsory units of this MBA program in Doha, Qatar was on Business Law. This unit was taught in several lectures conducted by PIM’s Senior Consultant Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria who is an eminent legal academic, former public servant and Sri Lankan diplomat. Nearly 50 Sri Lankan professionals from various disciplines participated at this Business Law course held at the Mercure Hotel in Doha during 19 to 24 April.

One of the highlights of the above program was the attendance of the newly appointed Ambassador to Qatar A.S.P. Liyanage. Since presenting his credentials about a month ago, the new Ambassador Liyanage who is a well-known businessman in Sri Lanka, had brought about a notable change in contributing and uplifting the professional and educational programs for Sri Lankans in Qatar. The PIM’s MBA program was one such endeavour. The Ambassador Liyanage attended one of the MBA sessions on Business Law which are being conducted by Dr. Weerasooria. 

The Ambassador was accompanied by the Governor of the Central Province Niluka Ekanayake, who at that time was in Doha leading an official delegation. Both Liyanage and Ekanayake first lunched with the MBA participants at the Mercure hotel and thereafter, participated at the Seminar on Business Law. Their participation and attendance was well received by all the professionals present. It is well known that the largest contribution to Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange comes from the monthly remittances of Sri Lankan workers and other expatriate professionals in the Middle East countries.

Ambassador Liyanage told the PIM’s MBA audience that he was happy to attend the seminar because he himself has started life as a teacher and in his view the teaching profession was regarded in our culture as the highest and most respected profession. Ambassador Liyanage also invited the Sri Lankan professionals at the seminar to visit the Embassy for any of their needs and told them that he would be available to render any assistance they needed for any development project activity in Sri Lanka.

The Governor of the Central Province Niluka Ekanayake also addressed the gathering and said that she was equally happy to be present because she had started life as a journalist and took an abiding interest in education. The Governor also told the audience that it was an honour for her to meet many expatriate professionals from Sri Lanka at a seminar of this nature. While endorsing and commending the PIM’s programs, she thanked the participating professionals for remitting parts of their salary to their mother country. She also added that it was the first time she had visited and witnessed a Sri Lankan Postgraduate Educational program in a Middle East country and that she will remember this visit and the impact it had on her. 

The Governor also undertook to inform President Maithripala Sirisena about her attendance at the PIM’s MBA program in Doha and how impressed she was in the way the program was conducted for the benefit of Sri Lankans.

In his response, Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria who was responsible as the Course Co-ordinator, thanked both the Ambassador Liyanage and the Governor Niluka Ekanayake for their attendance and participation. He added that the new Ambassador had already created an excellent impression among Sri Lankan professionals in Qatar and he called upon the professionals present to assist the Ambassador in all his endeavours in Qatar for the progress and development of Sri Lanka.

Dr. Weerasooria also thanked the Governor Ekanayake for finding the time despite her busy schedule to participate at the PIM’s MBA course in Business Law in Doha and for bringing members of her delegation also to the seminar so that they could learn how educational programs are conducted by the PIM for the benefit of Sri Lankans abroad.

Among others who participated at this event was Kumudu Fonseka, a leading Sri Lankan personality in Doha who was a professional who participated at PIM’s first MBA program in Doha in the period 2010-2012. A few others who participated at the earlier PIM MBA program of 2010-2012 were also present. The participation of the Ambassador and the Governor at the PIM course in Business Law ended with a vote of appreciation to the visitors by one of the participants and a group photograph.