Dear Members,

The next few weeks are very busy in IESL calendar. We just concluded a successful Induction and Graduation Ceremony in grand scale. The National Engineering Conference is organized under the theme of “ Engineering -The digital Economy” at cinnamon Grand Hotel on 22nd of September.

The premier technology exhibition organized by IESL - “Techno 2017” will be held at BMICH from 13th to 15th of October in grand Scale.

It’s a platform to showcase the wonders of engineering to the nation while providing opportunity to meet your friends and colleagues at our Members Lounge specially arranged at the exhibition premises. The Institution’s annual session will start on 20th October with a series of subsequent events following on next few days. Regional Conference on” Energy Policy for Regional Corporation & Development” will be held on 21st October. This year annual field visit will be on following day to Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant, Norochcholai and the INSEE Cement Factory, Puttalam. Technical paper presentations will be held on 23-24rd at IESL headquarters. The Annual General Meeting will be on 28th October at BMICH. I would request all of you to attend these events and show the strength of Engineers collectively.

Through the Presidents Corner Messages in SLEN, I have been updating you on the progress of the initiatives and new projects at IESL . Its good to review the achievements vs the plans, just few weeks before ending my session as the President of IESL for the 2016/17 session. As I put forward my vison and mission during the inauguration speech at annual sessions on October 2016, I had several priorities

1. Empowering and facilitating our own members
   
   
2. Improvements at the secretariat
   
   
3. Creating collaborative Thinking Environment
   
   
4. Create public understanding
   
   
5. Entrepreneurship

I am greatly satisfied as most of the initiatives either have been completed or moving in right direction as at now. In achieving the first objective of empowering and facilitating our own members, much attention was paid for development of our provincial chapters. As members, you must have seen in SLEN and other communications the enthusiastic work carried out by our members in provinces and foreign chapters. The young Member Section was so aggressive this year and got thousands of students enrolled from all over Engineering faculties. IESL cricket fiesta was a day to remember, participated by young and old equally. The year was full of provincial events and the vents organized centrally like Awurudu Ullela, Christmas party . The 2017 Engineers’ Night was attended by nearly 400 members. This is the largest ever participation in the history for this event. The two professional review exams were conducted successfully at Colombo, Provinces and in Qatar Chapter.

Anyone visiting the secretariat would notice the infrastructure improvements that had taken place in 2017. Members have got modern toilet complex, Modified Lecture rooms . Much more projects are in planning and execution stages including refurbishment of Wimalasurendra Auditorium with modern facilities.

Fulfilling a long-waited members’ need, e-voting solution has been selected for this year council elections and members are in the process of casting their votes through a world class e-voting platform. The new membership management system project , started on 15th on August 2017 targeting the completion on 15th February 2018. The new system would facilitate most of our member requirements in transacting with secretariat.

Professional recognition and status of IESL members have been established & elevated through new Engineering Council bill. IESL was able to obtain provisional membership for Sydney Accord this year. It will facilitate IESL recognizing three-year degree programs at appropriate level of membership. While acting as national think tank, IESL engaged in Condominium Management Authority in revising the laws  and disseminated Engineering knowledge via national newspapers like Sunday Times through the selected articles from our Members.

IESL provided the inputs to the Government in revision of visa laws. The visa laws in the country have not gone through a major revision over a long period. They need to be altered to as per the current context. As a leading professional Organization, IESL has a special interest to safeguard our local professionals and Engineering practice by ensuring only the qualified professionals from other countries get work Visa. Establishment of proper visa framework is mandatory when a country enters International Free Trade and Service agreements.

IESL appointed a committee to prepare guidelines with regard to Higher Engineering Education. The committee comprises of the Deans of the Engineering faculties and some senior Members from the Industry. Among other tasks this committee need to advise on the minimum qualification required for students to enter into Engineering higher education. The committee will conduct surveys with different stakeholders in this regard.

IESL was successful in stopping some of the alternative Engineering institutions being formed. One such instance was the attempt to establish a separate “Building Services Engineers Association” of which the objectives and scopes were already covered under IESL and its specific sectional committee. It needed parliamentary lobbying with the support of members of parliament.

The Entrepreneur Talk program was launched this year by getting successful entrepreneurs sharing their knowledge with our membership. It’s a platform to budding entrepreneurs to learn from the veterans.

Thank you.

Eng. Jayavilal Meegoda
President, Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka
President, Federation of Engineering Institutions of Central and South Asia