Pursuing Pioneering Developments in Science Education

J'pura University to host 50th Anniversary Academic Conference

Dulshani Gunawardena

The Sri Jayawardanapura university will host an international academic conference from December 10 to December 12 at the Management and Commerce Faculty to celebrate its Golden Jubilee. The conference will be held under the theme of Buddhism, Science and Development.

It will be attended by over 500 students academics and intellectuals. Science and Technology Minister Tissa Vitarana will be the Chief Guest. Lectures will be delivered by renowned academics from a wide variety of fields, providing a multi-visionary perspective of various current issues.

The University of Sri Jayawardanapura, previously known as the Vidyodaya University commenced its academic education as a national university on February 18, 1959.

Sri Jayawardanapura university Vice Chancellor N.L.A. Karunaratne stated that this conference hoped to bring forward the University's vision to integrate national knowledge with modern intellect in the path towards development.

Pursuing Pioneering Developments in Science Education

Established more than 45 years ago the Faculty of Applied Science of the University is one of the oldest among the Faculties of Science in Sri Lanka. Since inception it has grown much in intellectual capacity, teaching and research facilities, span of curricula and student numbers. At present it houses 8 academic departments, with nearly 100 academic staff members, over 1000 undergraduate students and close to 100 postgraduate students.

The Faculty has been in the forefront of pursuing several challenging and pioneering developments in the science education in Sri Lankan universities, including teaching in science in Sinhala, emphasizing applied aspects of science such as fisheries biology, food science, polymer science, forestry and environmental science and statistics and management in the B.Sc. curricula.