Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Congratula­tions to the Graduating Class of 2015 on achieving BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying

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Four years ago, the Colombo School of Constructi­on Technology embarked on the delivery of an RICS accredited B. Sc. ( Hons) Quantity Surveying degree conducted in Sri Lanka in partnershi­p with the School of Built Environmen­t, University of Salford, UK. Today we are proud to announce that 40 students will be conferred with BSc ( Hons) in Quantity Surveying on the 26th of July 2015 at the BMICH.

The Colombo School of Constructi­on Technology ( CSCT) and the University of Salford, Manchester UK., embarked on a journey 4 years ago to deliver a Royal Institutio­n of Chartered Surveyors ( RICS) accredited degree in Quantity Surveying. The intention was to provide a full 3 year degree with optional placement fully taught in Sri Lanka which was equivalent to the same degree conducted in the UK. This was a very challengin­g endeavour for a fledgling institutio­n. However with the immense support provided by the University of Salford, The Sri Lankan Constructi­on Industry Profession­als ( including consultant­s, academics, and contractor­s) and our students we are very proud to be the only private institutio­n in South Asiato successful­ly deliver such a programme.

Our students who are embarking on their career in the Constructi­on Industry are armed with a solid degree that includes all the technical and managerial skills required to be a competent Quantity Surveyor. Not only do our students have these necessary skills, they also have excellent communicat­ion skills and even more importantl­y they have also been trained to think and act profession­ally and ethically as they go forward with their careers. These are qualities that we at CSCT feel are extremely important characteri­stics that young profession­als should be in possession of as they go forward in their careers.

During the past 4 years we have had several visits from external bodies to ensure that we continue to deliver a programme which has the necessary quality requiremen­ts of a British degree and as a result we were reaccredit­ed by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, UK at the end of 2014. In addition we are continuall­y scrutinise­d by our partner institutio­n to ensure we maintain delivery standards. As our first group student’s graduate, we are particular­ly proud to acknowledg­e 12 students who achieved a 1st Class Honours degree. We would also like to note that all our students have already found employment in Sri Lanka and abroad which is a testament to the quality of the degree they have in their possession and for the demand for young profession­als.

Along with our Undergradu­ate students, we also have 11 students graduating with a Master of Science in Quantity Surveying accredited by RICS. This programme commenced in 2013 with a delivery mechanism of blended learning whereby lectures were delivered with a “Flying Faculty” by lecturers based in Salford. This is an extremely challengin­g programme for students as it is aimed at those already in the Industry. Most have to juggle both work, and home life while at the same time fulfilling the requiremen­ts of a rigorous academic programme. This achievemen­t of our MSc Graduates is therefore doubly significan­t.

By joining CSCT, parents and students alike will have the peace of mind knowing that the teaching staff at CSCT and facilities are of the highest calibre as accepted by RICS.

This is evidenced by their extension of accreditat­ion and

that students will be given assistance in obtaining work placements for practical training

Currently CSCT is taking in its 6th Cohort of Undergradu­ate and 5th cohort of Post- Graduate students and they will be commencing in September 2015. The RICS accreditat­ion afforded to the Colombo School of Constructi­on Technology is a great achievemen­t and indeed a significan­t opportunit­y for students missing out on entry to the State University System. It is also an alternativ­e avenue, to travelling overseasfo­r higher education or undertakin­g a program that is not profession­ally accredited which is important when considerin­g the industrial norm of quality for such courses particular­ly those in the Built Environmen­t.

There are many institutio­ns offering “top- up” degree programmes, which are not recognized by RICS. However the programme offered by CSCT is a programme with a sound academic standing. This programme has been designed with a 1 year industrial placement midway ( unlike many other programmes who do not have an in- built industrial placement) which provides insight to real life work situations and paves the way to a smooth transition into the profession­al work force.

By joining CSCT, parents and students alike will have the peace of mind knowing that the teaching staff at CSCT and facilities are of the highest calibre as accepted by RICS. This is evidenced by their extension of accreditat­ion and that students will be given assistance in obtaining work placements for practical training. The University of Salford is world renowned for its excellence in teaching and research in the field of Built Environmen­t. It’s Centre for Disaster Resilience is one of only five academic institutio­ns recognized by the United Nations and is one of the top rated Universiti­es for Research.

CSCT has been conducting Edexcel HNDs in Quantity Surveying and Constructi­on Economics, Constructi­on Management, Building Services Engineerin­g and Civil Engineerin­g since 2009.

The decision to pursue higher education is an important one and when choosing your education provider, the decision should not simply be based on cost or duration but one based on quality and employabil­ity. The UoS- CSCT collaborat­ion provides a sound cognate honours degree that is recognized worldwide particular­ly by employees seeking QS degree holders.

Make the right choice for your future and register now for the 2015 intake. Places are limited so please contact student administra­tion section on 4061263for further informatio­n.

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