The Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya plans to have ‘The faculty of Agriculture Undergraduate Research Symposium 2021/22’ on December 28 (Wednesday) at the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture. It will provide a unique platform to groom undergraduate researchers in Agriculture. The following is a press release issued by the university in connection with the event.

Established in 1948, The Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya is the premier Agriculture Faculty that offers students a wealth of academic inheritance accrued for nearly seventy-four years. We are looking forward to celebrating our Diamond Jubilee in 2023. The Faculty consists of eight Academic Departments of Studies. They are Agricultural Biology, Agricultural Economics and Business Management, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Extension, Animal Science, Crop Science, Food Science and Technology, and Soil Science, which contribute to creating well-rounded graduates with multidisciplinary exposure. We have a well-experienced academic staff of the highest calibre. The Faculty currently has about 116 permanent academic staff members (out of 139 cadre positions), comprising nearly 75 % of them with Ph.D. degrees obtained from the best universities worldwide. Approximately 50% of our academic staff members are professors. 

As time-tested and proven, the three-degree programmes offered by the Faculty: BSc Hons in Agricultural Technology and Management, BSc Hons in Food Science and Technology and BSc Hons in Animal Science and Fisheries, have opened up many windows of opportunities for the graduates. Overall, the Faculty produces graduates who are 100% employable within a short period of graduation. In addition, some students receive assured employment opportunities even before their graduation.

The Faculty organizes the Faculty of Agriculture Undergraduate Research Symposium (FAuRS) annually to provide a platform for graduates to present, discuss and disseminate their final semester research findings and interact with experts in the sector, peers, and prospective employers.

The concept of the Undergraduate Research Symposium was first introduced to the Sri Lankan University system in 1993 by the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya. Since then, the Annual Student Research sessions have been on the calendar of academic Departments of the Faculty on different scales. In 2014, the Faculty took another initiative by introducing a common forum for the entire Faculty – The Faculty of Agriculture Undergraduate Research Symposium, FAuRS.

Over the years, the undergraduate Research Symposium has gradually evolved into the main glamorous event of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya. This year, the Faculty is organizing FAuRS for the 8th consecutive time, and Professor Warshi Dandeniya serves as the coordinator of the event.  Mr. Nihal Ranasinghe, The Secretary of the Ministry of Education, will grace the event as the Chief Guest, and Mr. Nayana Mawilmada, President of Property Group, John Keels Holdings PLC, will deliver the key-note speech. Mr. Nalin Munasinghe, Assistant FAO Representative for Programmes Maldives and Sri Lanka, will also address the gathering as a guest speaker.

The main event includes oral and poster presentations and merit awards for undergraduate research. In addition, several open competitions are lined up on scientific-eye photography, videography, research briefs, 3MT (Three-minute thesis), ResearchTOON, graphical abstract, research storybook, and invention & innovation to provide opportunities for students to showcase their different talents and skills. 

At FAuRS, the best presenters selected from eight Departments at the 4200 series research presentations are given the opportunity to compete for the best oral and poster presentations. The overall best presenter is awarded a gold medal sponsored by A. Baur& Co. Ltd. 

This year, two competitions, Invention and Innovations and 3MT, have been opened for submissions from undergraduate students from other local and foreign Universities. 

Short research videos prepared on undergraduate projects enter the “Research Video Competition”, and the photographs submitted based on the projects are evaluated at the “Scientific Eye” research photography competition.

All  the activities lined up for the FAuRS-2021/22 provides a platform for the final year undergraduate students of the Faculty to blend with the local and international professionals and students, and showcase their talents while improving knowledge, skills and attitudes during the process. This year the FAuRS will be hosted in hybrid mode with participants attending on-ground and joining online. The web-links to join the programmes will be made available in the website of the Faculty of Agriculture.