Knowledge Hub: Experts to tackle need for quality and quantity

Monday, 24 February 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Daily FT-Colombo Uni MBA Alumni Association’s Five Hubs Forum tomorrow Sri Lanka was once famous as the best seat of knowledge within Asia. This accolade saw qualified Sri Lankans serving key posts and contributing to the transformation of countries such as even Singapore apart from being in large numbers in the West, the Africa, the Middle East and Asia. In recent history, lack of opportunities and other issues may have forced the brain drain whilst over the years the country’s entire education system had faced multitude of issues ranging from lack of investment, reforms as well as embracing change and modernity.

Despite these drawbacks, Sri Lanka still manages to produce a fair number of qualified and skilled personnel. However, given the high aspirations for the future, growing socio-economic challenges and high development and growth goals, an overhaul of the general and specialised education system has been a clarion call. A much larger and more competent and skilled base of human capital is a pre-requisite for Sri Lanka’s future. Already several industries are facing serious issues over lack of required number of skilled people. Whilst the country is gearing up with brick and mortar infrastructure, experts are unanimous in the view that in parallel Sri Lanka needs to get aggressive with software i.e. human resources. To shed some key insights to both opportunities and challenges in Sri Lanka aspiring to become a knowledge hub, the Daily FT and Colombo University MBA Alumni Association’s full-day forum on the Government’s hubs strategy tomorrow at Hilton Colombo have brought together an interesting panel. The Knowledge Hub session from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. will be enlightened by the main presentation by Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne. He will be joined by a panel comprising University of Colombo, Faculty of Management Dean Prof. H.D. Karunaratne, Commercial Bank Plc Chairman Dinesh Weerakkody, SLASSCOM Chairman Madu Ratnayake and Codegen Ltd. CEO Harsha Subasinghe. Participants at the session will also benefit from a wide range of insights as to how to get the Knowledge Hub aspirations right and how to manage the daunting task of meeting needs of both quantity and quality. This is because some industries need quantity to survive whilst others need quality to succeed. Interestingly the Knowledge Hub’s success has a positive impact on rest of the hubs that the Government is trying to promote. Failure in it also has equal repercussion. The five hubs forum will be kicked off by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa at 8:30 a.m., and keynote will be by Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal whilst Special Guest P. Tewari Head, Competitive Industries Global Practice, the World Bank Group, Singapore will also make a presentation. For registration/tickets for the aviation hub session or full day forum which also focuses on other hubs – maritime, commercial + tourism, knowledge and energy, please contact Shanthini on 0766869269. Tickets available at No. 26B, Retreat Road (adjoining Holy Family Convent), Bambalapitiya from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Email: [email protected].