Sri Lankan Ambassador for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Bandula Wijay says that Sri Lanka must establish a medical school operating under the U.S. curriculum, open to international student enrolments, as part of an effort to brand Sri Lankan higher education.

Joining Ada Derana’s current affairs program “@Hydepark”, he emphasized that establishing such a medical school in Sri Lanka, similar to the U.S.-based Harvard and Stanford universities, will boost Sri Lanka’s foreign revenue generation while also branding Sri Lanka amongst other nations as a hub of tertiary education.

Dr. Bandula Wijay also called on the government to bring together educated experts from the United States and Sri Lanka, to form a think tank to generate comprehensive plans for navigating Sri Lanka’s way forward towards a developed nation.

Speaking further in this regard, Dr. Wijay emphasized the necessity for Sri Lanka to brand itself as a “Global Centre of Science, Technology and Innovation”.

He also suggested that Sri Lanka should establish a fund which will help finance start-ups that can establish Sri Lanka as a nation which excels in scientific innovation.

In order for Sri Lanka to achieve this goal, Dr. Bandula Wijay is of the view that Sri Lankan researchers should focus on developing inventions that will have a substantial impact on the world, rather than simply fulfilling a need, adding that Sri Lanka should focus on development and leave research to more developed nations.

When questioned on the government’s role in promoting Science and Technology, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador for Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Bandula Wijay called on the authorities to establish a think-tank comprising internationally recognized and successful innovators and entrepreneurs to chart the course for Sri Lanka’s scientific and technological future.

Dr. Wijay also highlighted the need to create school and university curricula based on problem-based learning that will instil an innovative and entrepreneurial mind-set among Sri Lankan youth as well as attract foreign students to the country.

Watch the full program above