Kotelawala Defence University forms CSSL’s 1st Gen Z Chapter
Dr. Asela Gunasekara GenZ President Anupa Ranasinghe
The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) is expanding its wings to local universities through its student chapter network. CSSL undergraduate chapters branded as CSSL GenZ chapters and will function as mini Computer Society in each university. The Computing Faculty of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KUD) became the first GenZ Chapter of CSSL.
CSSL President Eng. Damith Hettihewa speaking about the initiative said “Forming of CSSL GenZ university chapter network has several objectives. Key objectives are ENGAGING with the future ICT professionals at an early stage, nurturing future leaders, fostering professionalism and ethics amongst the undergraduate community. CSSL GenZ Chapters also aligns well with its “Engage” pillar of CSSL’s 2021 strategy framework,
Hettihewa further said “We also have a very special and urgent need for creating the awareness of the I4.0 opportunity with computing undergraduates in local universities. We are on the eve of the 4th Industrial Revolution. Industry 4.0 will create new wealthy nations similar to Europe, the Americas, and Japan which became rich nations as a result of the first three industrial revolutions. CSSL advocates Sri Lanka to leverage Industry 4.0 to become a wealthy nation.
CSSL Executive Council members Assistant Secretary and former Dean Faculty of Computing General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Commodore Janaka Gunaseela, and Student Councilor and Chief Operating Officer Sri Lanka Nano Technology Institute Mr. Heminda Jayaweera led the initiative of forming the first CSSL Chapter at KDU.
Dr. Asela Gunasekara Dean Faculty of Computing General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) highlighting the importance of University and Industry collaboration to uplift the quality and standard of the ICT industry said “ KDU Faculty of Computing is the first-ever Computing Faculty in the Sri Lankan university system which consist all the Computing degrees namely, Information Technology, Information Systems, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering and Data Science. As an upcoming faculty, we are pleased to be collaborating with the Computer Society of Sri Lanka which is the apex body for practitioners, academics, students, policymakers, professionals and members of the business community in Sri Lanka. We wish to have collaborations with all other organizations and institutes through our CSSL Student Chapter to build a harmonized environment for all like-minded groups in our domain”.
CSSL Student Chapter at KDU consists of twelve young energetic students who have endless enthusiasm for innovations and with willingness for knowledge distribution supervised by Chapter Patron Dr. (Mrs) Nirosha Wedasinghe. It is led by first-ever CSSL Chapter President Mr. Anupa Ranasinghe and other chapter officials are as follows. KBI Rupasinghe (Vice President), KPMI Ramanayake (Secretary), AACA Herath (Treasurer), SMKH Hemali (Assistant Treasurer, VWSS Rajarathne (Assistant Secretary – Membership), TBKB Promodya (Assistant Secretary Events), NDMK Weerasinghe Assistant Secretary – Publicity) and Council Members HA Rajapaksha, KC Rajapaksha, ND Dedduwage and MLASS Madhwa. KDU Chapter President Anupa Ranasinghe and its officials presented its Annual Chapter Plan at the 2nd CSSL GenZ forum. We have concluded our annual plan which includes seven initiatives and hope to commence different CSR projects in the near future to balance the flow of computing awareness throughout the country said Anupa Ranasinghe, Chapter President of CSSL KDU GenZ Chapter.