UNIVOTEC IS A UNIQUE UNIVERSITY

Following are excerpts from the speech delivered by Vidya Jyothi Emeritus Prof. Dayantha Wijeysekera at the 5th convocation of the University of Vocational Technology (UNIVOTEC) recently. 

The University caters mainly to the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector to provide a pathway to degree level higher education for those with vocational qualifications through the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) and also with mid-level Technological qualifications through lateral entry. There is much scope to attract more with such qualifications with the new developments in tertiary and vocational education.  

The UNIVOTEC takes pride that almost all the Graduates of the university are gainfully employed effectively contributing towards the development efforts of the country. While there are efforts to provide more seats of learning through the state conventional university system, new developments such as the GCE A/Level Technology stream and the 13-year school programmes would encourage those with technical skills and with middle-level employment to graduate with a degree qualification which is in demand by industry.  

I am glad that those of you who graduate today were not dismayed by the word “technology” in the name of the University as it has been declared that in our neighbouring country India with about 1000 Universities and degree awarding institutes. what has been ranked No.1 in the country is the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai surpassing all other traditional universities out of which many of the Graduates are well known to be unemployed!  

Even in Sri Lanka, among the other state conventional universities, the university leading with the highest percentage of employment of its graduates has the origin of being the “Institute of Practical Technology” of which I am proud to have been a student in its first batch in 1960!  

Some of the leading seats of Higher Education in Technological Education are not named Universities but Institutes of Technology such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology in US, Indian Institutes of Technology IITs,Asian Institute of Technology AIT etc., The UNIVOTEC has the added advantage of having a pathway for those with NVQ in addition to those with Mid-level Technological Qualifications.  

UNIVOTEC takes pride that almost all the Graduates are gainfully employed effectively contributing towards the development of the country

While it is possible to illustrate the distinction between, Science, Technology and Engineering, it is essential to describe the difference between Engineering and Engineering Technology. In short, Engineering technology is the practical application of science and engineering to a wide range of real-world problems and in no way should the term “Technology” be underestimated to” Engineering”. The differences between engineering and engineering technology are not always obvious. There is a great deal of overlap between the two fields of study. In most universities and institutes of technology, as listed internationally engineering programmes have a strong emphasis on mathematics and science, especially physics and calculus, while engineering technology emphasizes the application of engineering techniques and the engineering courses with a focus on the development of concepts.  

This has enabled Technology graduates of the UNIVOTEC who have pursued the programmes of study as per the conditions laid down by the Sydney Accord and the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) to be eligible initially for “Affiliate Status” of the IESL. While Professional Bodies both Local and Foreign have a major role in determining the status of the seats of higher learning and any attempts to deviate from the original concepts and objectives would be counter-productive and lead to undervaluing of the current status of UNIVOTEC.  
This word of caution is not meant to you who graduate today but to those who are still in the system at UNIVOTEC both staff and students clamouring to be identified as the conventional universities and thereby destroying the potential of being well recognized by the industry as it is now, especially for employment opportunities.     

You are Graduates of the University of Vocational Technology which is unique. In the current system of University Education, there are three different modes and I am pleased to have been involved in all three modes. While I am convinced through personal experience, the importance of all three modes for human resource development which are, (i) the conventional university education, (ii) open and distance learning and (iii) the competency-based training and assessment, the most significant development now is the interaction between the three modes resulting in blended learning, while retaining its own identity.  

I am pleased that I was able to be associated with the setting up of this university at its inception from the year 2004 as the Secretary of the Ministry up to now as its Chancellor.  
It has not been easy to keep its identity as a non-conventional university different to a university purely open for GCE A/Level students, but the demands of the industry have facilitated its existence thus far. There have been many international and local expertise responsible for its establishment and existence and it is my fervent hope that the UNIVOTEC will continue to serve the useful role it was intended, for students with technical and vocational qualifications either through weekday or weekend courses, just as much as the the Open University of Sri Lanka and the Conventional Universities continue to perform their respective obligations, through the other modes.   

Tertiary Education is available through many avenues for post-secondary school leavers in this country, and these avenues could be well strengthened by those graduating from this university as technologists and also as teachers of technical education.    

While I congratulate the Graduates of today at this convocation, I pay tribute to all staff and especially to the pioneering Vice-Chancellors of UNIVOTEC and the decision-makers for the foundation laid to this unique university serving a useful national purpose at present and trust the concepts of this university would be wisely preserved and strengthened with greater motivation to increase both in quantity and quality.