Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Immortalis­ing researcher­s and advancing the human race - UK higher education’s scientific research programmes

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The evolution and progress of mankind has above all else been fuelled by scientific research. One of the biggest contributo­rs to this research is the UK’s higher education system. Over the many decades of the existence of the UK’s higher education system, driven by their scientific research programmes numerous discoverie­s and inventions have come to light. A handful of these innumerabl­e discoverie­s and inventions are the contracept­ive pill, MRI scanning, the world’s first animal cloned from a cell taken from an adult animal, usable LCD technology and the birth of the first usable computer. The list is endless and constantly in the process of being made longer.

Taking a more in-depth look at one of the more recent contributi­ons and impacts to society that scientific research done by the UK’s education system has led to are the advances in the treatment of childhood autism. Scientists and other specialist­s world over are of the opinion that children identified as being autistic find interactin­g with other people challengin­g and frightenin­g. It was discovered that people with autism were much happier interactin­g with computers, as they found them safe and predictabl­e compared to human beings.

Having begun their research in the early 1990s a group of university based scientists developed a robot which was introduced to autistic children in 2005. This robot has helped give its creators and the children that are exposed to it, the ability to focus on abilities of the autism rather than the disabiliti­es of the individual­s. In trials conducted it was discovered that autistic children suddenly started to do things that they were not normally known or expected to do.

This robot that has become a breakthrou­gh in terms of therapy for children with autism is now being further developed to make it more accessible to families. This UK university based research is to make the already cheap robot even more accessible to families that do not have high incomes.

Students who become the researcher­s and developers of such advanced scientific breakthrou­ghs such as the aforementi­oned robot, greatly impact society and the world. These students are forever immortalis­ed by their ground-breaking scientific research which opens the doors to a world of opportunit­y to them. Furthermor­e, they have been known to become some of the world’s most influentia­l and inspiratio­nal characters some even winning Nobel Peace prizes for the scientific research conducted in the UK.

Students aspiring to continue their higher education in the UK come from every corner of the world not only to be a part of the ground-breaking scientific research programmes but for so much more. They come in search of experienci­ng the diversity of the multicultu­ral lifestyle that it offers, new lifestyles, the beauty of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and so much more. These experience­s and factors are a mere handful of the many benefits that act as the ultimate temptation to students during their decision to come to the UK to pursue their dreams.

For more informatio­n on how you can begin your higher education in the UK, please call the British Council on + 94 (0) 11 4 521 521 or visit britishcou­ncil. lk/study-uk.

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