SLIM breaks new ground with ‘Marketing in Tamil’

Tuesday, 10 February 2015 00:57 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) recently launched ‘Marketing in Tamil (MIT)’, a pioneering program which provides world class marketing education in Tamil and promotes equal access to education for all races. Marketing in Tamil was conceived as part of SLIM President Kalana Ratnayake’s theme for SLIM for 2014/15, ‘Gather for Greatness’, under which

he has succeeded in uniting the local marketing community around the national body for marketing. This ground-breaking program fulfils his vision by taking the opportunities available at SLIM to the Tamil speaking population. Marketing in Tamil is available to students above 16 years of age and completion of the programme qualifies them to follow more advanced diplomas and degrees including Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing, which leads up to the internationally recognised SLIM Bucks MBA. The programme will be initially conducted through Isoft Technologies and Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sri Lanka (FCCISL) – Colombo and will be made island-wide with several accredited study centres which will be signing MoUs with SLIM. The ceremonial launch of Marketing in Tamil took place on 5 February at SLIM Home with the participation of S. Hemanand, Director of Isoft Technologies (Batticaloa), the first centre which gained its accreditation from SLIM at the launch, and Viraj Piyathunga, Assistant Manager – Projects and Trainings – FCCISL (Colombo), who represented the main partner of the program. Dr. T. Mangaleswaran, Senior Lecturer at Faculty of Business Studies from Vauniya Campus of the University of Jaffna, who participated in this event mentioned that they have also taken the senate approval to introduce Marketing in Tamil with other SLIM educational programs. Ratnayake spoke about the responsibility of SLIM in popularising marketing. “SLIM is the national body for marketing and I believe the introduction of marketing in Tamil will undoubtedly enhance that status. This has always been an important part of our vision and this programme is another major step towards providing equal access to education for all Sri Lankans. The main objective is to introduce and recognise the traders and marketers in the areas other than Colombo and suburbs and also to build professionalism among the outstation marketers.” SLIM CEO/Executive Director Sanath Senanayake spoke about the opportunities created by this program: “Marketing in Tamil provides aspiring marketers in the north and east Tamil speaking community of Sri Lanka the opportunity to follow SLIM courses in their first language. This will enable them to gain a thorough understanding of marketing, which has potential more than any other profession to grow and help produce highly qualified and knowledgeable marketers from these rural regions.” SLIM was represented by Ratnayake, Assistant Secretary Pradeep Edward, Senanayake, ExCo Member Leonard Jayasinghe, AGM Marketing Chinthaka Wanasinghe, Manager Education Gayan Maldeniya and Manager Business Development Mihirinie Fonseka.