A team from the Deakin University, Australia, consisting of Prof K.Baskaran (Associate Dean – International & Partnerships, Faculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment), Associate Prof Lloyd Chua (Associate Head of Engineering - International), Associatate Prof Pubudu Pathirana (School of Engineering) and Ms Ruby Lee (Manager - International & Partnerships, Faculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment) were present at the University of Moratuwa on Wednesday, 30th January 2019 for a discussion with Prof P.K.S. Mahanama, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Lalith de Silva, Dean – Faculty of Architecture, Prof Nalin Wickramaarachchi, Dean – Faculty of Engineering, Prof P.M. Karunaratne, Dean – Faculty of Information Technology, Prof N.D. Gunawardena, Dean – Faculty of Business and Prof (Mrs) D. Dias, Dean – Faculty of Graduate Studies, Prof Gihan Dias, Director International Relations.
Deakin University has an ongoing Memorandum of Understanding with UOM and Prof Baskaran is a frequent visitor to the University; and it is hoped that more collaborations and joint programmes between the two Institutions would get off the ground in the future.
The key objectives of the meeting was to:
• Identify targeted areas for research in PhD programmes, where candidates would spend 2 years at UoM and 1 year at Deakin.
• Deakin would initially look at five (5) PhD students a year, totaling fifteen (15) in a three year cycle; in the areas of Architecture and Engineering.
• Joint Supervision of students by both Deakin and UoM Staff
• Staff members exchange – Visiting Professor assignments for teaching and/or research
Specific areas under Engineering would include :
• Advanced Manufacturing (materials and methodology)
• Robotics (Bio Mechanics)
• Infrastructure Engineering (transport, water management, cities, etc.)
• Information Technology (Artificial Intelligence)
