Dialog and NIMB partner to establish National Innovation Centre

Dialog Axiata PLC Group COO Dr. Rainer Deutschmann (centre) handing over the agreement to Dr. NIBM Director General D.M.A. Kulasooriya (centre left). Also pictured from left: NIBM School of Computing Computer Science Head Dr. Buddhima Subasinghe, NIBM School of Computing Director Gangani Wickramasinghe, NIBM Chairman Rohan Prithiviraj Perera, Dialog Axiata PLC Group Corporate Planning and Strategy Vice President Munesh David and Dialog Axiata PLC Business Intelligence Analytics Head Eranda Adikari 

Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, and the National Institute of Business Management (NIBM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a National Level Big Data Analytic Lab at the National Innovation Centre of NIBM.

This National Innovation Centre of NIBM, in collaboration with Dialog, will act as an incubator to develop the next generation of technological innovations and predict the future of major industries in Sri Lanka, whilst promoting the importance of Data Science to school students, undergraduates and graduates. It aims to provide expertise in designing and implementing value creating processes in the field of Data Science and Analytics across industries to improve quality and productivity.

NIBM Director General Dr. D.M.A. Kulasooriya stated: “NIBM has already set the ground at the National Innovation Centre with modern facilities to launch Data Science Degrees and Masters programs to prepare its students in data science and business analytics skills to grab opportunities created in the modern world of business. We are delighted to be partnered with Dialog Axiata PLC to bring in industrial experience in data science and analytics for the interns of NIBM. We hope and wish our partnership will grow further to develop NIBM graduates with data science competencies to meet future challenges in the industry.”

Dialog Axiata PLC Group COO Dr. Rainer Deutschmann said: “Data Driven Decisioning will be at the heart of every successful company. We at Dialog Axiata help our customers benefit from big data and analytics, evermore important in a world of fifth generation mobile networks, Internet of Things (IoT) and exponential change. Therefore, we aim to help educate and attract the country’s best talent and the National Innovation Centre will play an important role on this endeavour.”

The National Innovation Centre intends to address the knowledge and industry development gaps in Big Data Analytics and Data Science, to produce skilled professionals while also serving the automation of various processes in different fields across industries using Big Data Analytics and Hybrid Data Management. 

This Innovation Centre will utilise the integration of technologies to analyse a vast spectrum of big data inclusive of social media, web and IoT which would enable industries to gain insights to take the next step in developing a smarter Sri Lanka.