Over a decade, Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT) and Keele University, UK have been in a widely known collaboration to conduct MSc programmes in Sri Lanka, and award merit scholarships to Sri Lankan students who are willing to study at Keele in UK.

Keele University doesn't have any collaboration of this nature in the whole world, except, the one with IIT. This collaboration has helped hundreds of students through merit scholarships between £3000 and £6,000. During the last ten years, through this collaboration, Keele University has awarded scholarships worth more than £1.5 million. By doing all good to Sri Lankans, Keele University has become the most popular university among Sri Lankan students outside London.

Stoke-on-Trent, a town, four miles away from Keele, is another Colombo 7 in UK, which has a good number of Sri Lankan students and expats living as a closely-knit community. This collaboration has been successful due to the unique features of both organisations. Keele University is a highly ranked research-led British University with one of the largest campus that offers world-class education at affordable study and living costs, and it is one of the most secure locations in UK. Students are able to choose single or dual honours programmes from the range of over 500 study programmes offered by the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Faculty of Health.

IIT is the oldest private IT institute of Sri Lanka, and the pioneer to offer British Degree locally. During the last two decades or so, IIT has produced more than 1,500 graduates and over 500 postgraduates who were conferred British degrees. Today, most of the senior Sri Lankan IT professionals working in top IT firms in Sri Lanka and abroad are the products of IIT.

Every year, Keele delegates visit IIT many times to conduct scholarship-cum-admission interviews. A good number of students are given the opportunity to be interviewed, and many of them are awarded scholarships and admission on-the-spot. At IIT, students are also provided free counselling service to select the right course that could lead them to great fortunes. Selected students receive a series of free trainings and support related to academia, culture, and visa; a pre-departure briefing is also organised at IIT for all students going to Keele. IIT's support to the student continues until they finish their studies successfully at Keele.

Every year, IIT receives many appreciations and testimonials from placed students. During the last visit of programme director to Keele University, a Sri Lankan student* went on saying, "I salute IIT for its support and guidance, which has helped me to become a good Maths graduate, and now I am about to join Royal Air Force as a pilot".

Another student* visiting IIT in June this year shared his success with IIT and informed, "I am very happy; after finishing my undergraduate degree at Keele, they have offered me an admission into PhD on the basis of my final year research project, half my fee is paid by Keele and the other half is paid by NHS UK."

IIT and Keele collaboration remains committed to the development of Sri Lankans, the scholarships awards are likely to increase, and many more Sri Lankans shall be benefited. * Student names are not exposed respecting their privacy

Javed Ahsan, MBA (Sri J), PGDCA (N Delhi), B Com Honours (N Delhi)
Consultant Programme Director, IIT