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CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT 35

We would like to hear we would like to hear your
your journey starting from unparalleled service and the
Advanced Level class and “ contribution to the Open
ending up with the University Dissatisfactions and University and especially to the
of Edinburgh, UK, as a Senior mismatching among distance education.
Lecturer. graduates is the result It has been a great opportunity and
of “inappropriate raw
With the completion of the Junior privilege to have been involved in ALL
Technical Course, (now upgraded as material being used to THREE modes of tertiary education
the National Diploma in Technology which is now emphasizing the need
- NDT), along with one year of Civil obtain the final product. for the undoubted practice of all
Engineering experience, I was able to three modes, and the mix of all three
get the first year exempted, by making modes for special scenarios, which is
a lateral entry to the second year of which was made to adopt Distance now termed “blended learning”, and
Enfield College of Technology (now Education, though not taken too above all, the need for the systems to
University of Middlesex, UK) to follow seriously at that time. But now, as be available at all levels, i.e. Primary,
a course in Civil Engineering. an “online educational institution”, it Secondary and Tertiary and even at
Upon graduation, and with a further has almost become an indispensable Post-graduate levels.
one-year of design and field experience system, though practiced under very
in Civil Engineering, I was invited by undeveloped conditions and most
the Head of the Civil Engineering often conducted by non-professional
Department of the University of and untrained staff for the purpose. “
Edinburgh for a research position and We were also able to
to pursue research studies leading to a Thereafter, at the end of the year in
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Thereafter, December 1999, I was once again achieve the status of “no
I while serving as a Senior Lecturer appointed to the Office of the Vice graduate unemployment”
in Civil Engineering till my late wife Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa
(Edinburgh Medical Graduate) and I (originally the Institute of Practical due to excellent industry
decided to return to Sri Lanka in 1970 Technology, Katubedda, where I was interaction, high
to serve our motherland. among the 99 students of its first
batch), when, with the support of all the standards of discipline
You were the first Vice staff, students, and decision makers, with “no ragging”, due
Chancellor to hold the Office we were able to achieve the Number to the commitment and
in two Universities, namely, One Rank among the Universities in Sri ownership among staff
the Open University of Sri Lanka. We were also able to achieve the
status of “no graduate unemployment”
Lanka and the University due to excellent industry interaction, and students.
of Moratuwa for a total high standards of discipline with “no
unprecedented period of 15 ragging”, due to the commitment and
years. How did you manage ownership among staff and students. The University of Vocational
This was the main reason for all the
the affairs of two universities great achievements including the Technology is popularly known
during some of the most non-closure of the university for even as UNIVOTEC, and provides
turbulent times in Sri Lanka’s a single day due to student unrest, an academic career path,
political landscape, especially even though in the late 1980s, during specially to those pursuing the
in the late eighties? During the country’s civil disturbances, the NVQ route up to degree level.
university recorded the unfortunate
the 6 years of your tenure as incident of the assassination of the first What was your experience
Vice Chancellor of university sitting Vice Chancellor of a Sri Lankan as the first Chancellor of
of Moratuwa, not a single University inside his office. University of Vocational
day was it closed due to Technology (UNIVOTEC)?
student unrest. It shows your You have a long and
exceptional leadership skill. distinguished career in the The University of Vocational Technology
(UNIVOTEC) is an outcome of all three
We are pleased to hear your conventional university modes and had to be very carefully
experiences. system and an equally long steered without any executive powers
and distinguished carrier in during my two terms as the Chancellor.
Having risen to the Office of the open and distance learning The biggest challenge during this
Dean of the Faculty of Engineering education. Being the founder period of nearly eight years was having
of an up and coming conventional to work with four Vice Chancellors,
university, it paved the way to head vice chancellor of the Open about five Cabinet Ministers, and about
a non-conventional Open University, University of Sri Lanka, six Ministry Secretaries, and with more

www.cma-srilanka.org | Volume 06 -No. 2 - September 2021