University of Colombo celebrates 50 years of computing this week

This year, the University of Colombo celebrates 50 years of computing recalling its achievements and reflecting on the founding years. To mark this significant event, the University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC) will hold three major events on 6 September.

In 1967, computer programming in Fortran was introduced by the Department of Mathematics under the guidance of late Vidya Jyothi Emeritus Professor V.K. Samaranayake. In 1985, the Department of Mathematics evolved into two departments, the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Statistics and Computer Science (DSCS). Subsequently, the Department of Computer Science (DCS) was established in 2001. In a landmark event in 2002, the University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC) was established as the first higher learning centre of computing in Sri Lanka by the merger of the Institute of Computer Technology (ICT) and the Department of Computer Science. Over five decades of achievements, the University of Colombo has demonstrated its potential by becoming one of the leading higher educational institutes in computing education in Sri Lanka with a significant contribution made to national development.

As part of the celebrations, the new multipurpose building with a state-of-the-art auditorium will be declared open by Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis, the Chancellor of the University of Colombo. The commemorative plaque of the new building will be unveiled by Prof. Mohan de Silva, the Chairman of the University Grants Commission. The commemorative plaque marking the Golden Jubilee of computing at the University of Colombo will be unveiled by Prof. Lakshman Dissanayake, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo.

The UCSC has been annually conducting the Vidya Jyothi Emeritus Professor V.K. Samaranayake memorial oration since 2007 to express its gratitude and as an appreciation for the enormous service rendered by late Prof. V.K. Samaranayake, the Founding Director of UCSC. UCSC is privileged to have the presence of Emeritus Professor Roger D. Stern, the Director of Statistics for Sustainable Development (SSFD), University of Reading as the orator of the 10th Memorial Oration on “A glimpse to the history of Computing at the University of Colombo”.

The International Information Technology Conference (IITC) was launched in 1998 as an academic conference by late Prof. V.K. Samaranayake. Subsequently the International Conference on Advances in ICT for emerging regions (ICTer) was launched as a successor to IITC. ICTer has been able to attract international recognition by reaching a high global index in publications and has emphasised regional importance of collaboration through this conference. This year, UCSC will proudly hold the 17th ICTer conference from 6 to 9 September at the Vidya Jyothi Professor V.K. Samaranayake auditorium of the University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC) bringing together a host of local and international researchers and industry practitioners.