iCMA 2017

Prof Hemanthi Ranasinghe/ Dean FGS made the welcome address and spoke about the faculty of graduate studies, its role and the mandate and the background to the international conference on multidisciplinary approaches. She explained the objectives behind the iCMA and reiterated the importance of dissemination research findings by the students in the audiences where policy makers are present. She said iCMA is now a key annual event in the FGS calendar. She extended her appreciation to Ministry of Science, Technology and Research and National Science Foundation for co-partnering the event.

Prof. Sampath Amaratunga /Vice Chancellor addressing the conference stressed the importance of multidisciplinary research in the university and said the university is considering research as the prime role of the academic institutions and as a result University of Sri Jayewardenepura has provided assistance to academics and the students to engage in applied research through research centers and Faculty of Graduate Studies. Since iCMA is a platform for students to present their hard work he said the conference is a key event of FGS he extended his well wishes for the conference.

Hon. Minister Susil Premajayantha highlighted the Importance of Multidisciplinary approaches for the country’s development. Further he stressed the commitment by his Ministry for supporting all the universities in conducting research. The relevance of SDGs and Sustainable Development, with special emphasis on poverty alleviation and environmental protection was another important area pointed out by the Minister. The need of a mechanism for academics and universities to address trivial needs of the country on climate change related scenarios was another aspect stressed by the minister.

Prof Paul Sanders delivered his key note address on Challenges in the delivery of ‘Urban villages’ through complex stakeholder partnerships and multi-disciplinary approaches”. He described the attributes of an Urban Village as small size, combine residential with work, retail and leisure together, self-sustaining, mixed social and economic groups, well designed and well managed efficient transport. He further discussed 10 principles of successful design of urban village through examples.

Prof Anu Rammohan, from University of Western Australia spoke on Agriculture in Transition, Food security and Poverty alleviation. The key points of her speech included;

• The importance of Food security as SDG 2
• Three pillars food security- Availability, Access, Utilization
• Impact of Organization of Food Security
• Impact of Climate Change on Food security and future challenges to Sri Lanka

She said there is a close relationship between poverty and malnutrition rate and therefore it is important to increased productivity of agriculture can enhance economic growth while reducing poverty in the country and ensure food security. In conclusion she said the increased agricultural productivity will lower food prices for consumers; higher incomes for producers; and growth multiplier effects through the rest of the economy as demand for other goods and services increases.

• GlobalEnvironmental Issues and how they impact on people in South Asia
• HowSustainable Consumption can bring happiness to people and the role of
• sustainable production contribute to sustainable consumption

He said in the South Asian region the people are not highly prosperous and from cultural point of people are not wasteful but thrift, the basic qualities of sustainable consumption. As a result the people in South Asia are happier when compared to other global citizen groups.

Prof Paul Sanders addressing the conference spoke about importance of public space for enhanced resilience of Urban Areas. The key points of his speech included;

• Communities thrive in public space, with aRich matrix of Streets |squares |meeting placessoWe must maintain good public spaces for citizen participation
• The character of public places is freedom of action and the right to stay inactive…the fundamental aim of the public place is to ensconce community”
• Basic Dimensions of public spaces namely Vitality,Sense, Fix,Access and Control
• He further explained the design of public places throughreal life examples

He cited many examples of public space development along the history of human civilization and in conclusion he said people like to have public places which provides freedom and stress free behavior and said Sri Lanka also should design public places when designing urban infrastructure.

Prof Seow Ta Wee from University of Tun Hussein Onn, Malaysia addressed the conference on “Malaysia’s Experience on Green Building Index”. The key points of his speech included;

• Impactsof Buildings on Environment and carbon emissions from Built Environment
• Conceptof Green Buildings and criteria for assessing green buildings
• DevelopingGreen Building Index in Malaysia itscomparison with LEED (USA), Green Star(Australia) and Green Mark(Singapore)
• Practice of GBI in Malaysia

As Sri Lanka is also introducing green building guidelines soon it will be wise to introduce green building index as a positive step for motivation of investors.

Prof Sagadevan Munree of Queensland University of technology, Australia addressed the conference on “Future Crops: The Challenge to Feed the Next Generation”. The key points of his speech included;

• Global challenge to sustain an increasing population
• Water requirement for crops and development of drought resilient crops
• Future crops: Enhancing WUE and nutritional value
• Exampleof GM modified Chick pea for drought prone areas and solutions for irondeficiency in people of most of the countries
• Demand for plant-based proteins is set to increase significantly in the future
• Smart Cities and Urban Farming

In conclusion he said to meet the Global challenge to sustain an increasing population and especially increasing urban population in the word new strategies for providing protein requirement will be a huge challenge even for a country like Sri Lanka with limited land availability. He said it will be up to the policy makers to plan for smart cities with urban farms and crops with higher yields to meet the challenge.

• Definition of Education and correlation between education and a better informed community
• Assumptions in Education
• The role and importance of education for sustainable development and multidisciplinary approaches

In conclusion he pointed out that Western education with its dominant epistemological order or paradigm can only produce an informed community about western visions and versions of social reality and social development and If multidisciplinary research approaches is to provide alternative vision for a world of diversity, equity, dignity, and opportunity for all, it will have to first decouple itself from its western epistemological cord and seek alternative context and referent within local episteme.

• What is research
• Search for various ends- Wealth, Joy, Knowledge, Truth
• The evolving of numbering systems
• Comparison of decimal system with system of 12 numbersas the basis
• We went on to explain the role of an academic in search for new knowledge

Taking examples from the past Sri Lanka and the South Asian region he showed how different numbering systems developed and how we reached the current numbering systems. In conclusion he said the universities are ideal places for searching for new knowledge and it is a responsibility of them to make use of this opportunity.

Speech by Dr Sanath Mahawithanage, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura on “Mindfulness”. The key points of his Lecture included;

• Mindfulnessand Effectiveness
• Ended up with a practice on how to maintain calm mind through mindfulness exercises

Speech by Dr Ravi Liyanage “Business Today and challenges to Universities on delivering competent Graduates”. The key points of his Lecture included;

• Time Management in business world
• How to be effective manager in the business world
• Multidisciplinary approach for success in Businessdevelopment
• Correlation among Knowledge, research and extension  for effective performance

Taking examples from the business world he showed how the business world expects the behavior of a new graduate once he enters the employment market. He reiterated that the students who are passing out should have the multidisciplinary approach in facing the business problems and finding solutions.