CSSL joins ICTA’s Northern Roadshow with GenZ Chapter launch at Jaffna University

The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) is launched its second GenZ Chapter at the University of Jaffna to mark the Northern Roadshow organised by the Digital Economy Team of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA).

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) partnered with the CSSL to extend an opportunity for telecommunication company CEOs to interact with the students of the University of Jaffna and other CSSL GenZ Chapters.

The CSSL undergraduate chapters branded as CSSL GenZ chapters will function as mini computer societies in each university. CSSL President Damith Hettihewa and University of Jaffna CSSL GenZ Chapter Patron Dr. Thabotharan Kathurawelu signed the agreement by adding respective digital signatures online to launch the CSSL Student Chapter of the University of Jaffna.

Eng. Damith Hettihewa welcomed the dignitaries from academia, the ICTA, TRCSL, industry and highlighted the objectives of forming the CSSL GenZ Chapters.

The first objective as outlined by Hettihewa is engaging with the future ICT professionals at an early stage, nurturing future leaders, fostering professionalism and ethics amongst the undergraduate community and the second objective being addressing the urgent need to create  the awareness amongst the computing students about the unique  opportunity for leveraging Industry 4.0 to become a wealthy nation 

The highlight of the CSSL second GenZ Chapter launch at the Jaffna University was the keynote address delivered by University of Technology Sydney Associate Dean Prof. Michael Blumenstein to mark the occasion. 

Prof. Blumenstein delivered the keynote presentation all the way from Australia  on the topic ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) myths debunked – How AI is transforming industry for the global good’, which was keenly received by an online audience exceeding 240 participants.

ICTA CEO Eng. Mahinda B. Herath extended the ICTA’s best wishes to the CSSL and University of Jaffna. Eng. Herath also highlighted that the ICTA’s digital economy team selected the northern cluster for its first regional roadshow, considering the potential in Jaffna and the Northern province for ICT-based economic development. 
ICTA Start-up Ecosystem Development Director Sachindra Samararatne shared the concept of entrepreneurial university with the GenZ community.

The CSSL, which was established in 1976, is the apex body representing ICT professionals in Sri Lanka. The CSSL is also a member of the South East Asia Regional Computer Confederation (SEARCC) and International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP). 

The CSSL is a provisional signatory to the Seoul Accord, an internationally acclaimed degree accreditation programme through which the CSSL brings international standards on ICT-related degrees to Sri Lanka.