E mail: oleap@iname.com / jnfer@ou.ac.lk
Abstract: The Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon which is the professional body of chemists in Sri Lanka has been very actively engaged in the provision of tertiary educational opportunities in the Chemical Sciences for the past 3 decades. The Technicians Diploma (in Laboratory Technology) has provided the only such programme in any branch of pure science at the middle level in Sri Lanka and has so far produced 526 qualified Chemistry Technicians who are making a distinct contribution to the work of Graduate Chemists in service, analytical and research institutions. The Institute's Graduateship Programme, now in its 23rd year, has been a resounding example of die tremendous input that a professional body can make towards human resource development in a national scenario that is able to allow only 2% of the relevant student cohort to pursue free tertiary education in the state Universities in Sri Lanka. 253 Graduate Chemists have passed out so far in 18 batches. The Graduate Chemists who have passed out, have been able to obtain employment as well as opportunities for Post Graduate Study, not only within Sri Lanka but in many countries throughout the world.
The College of Chemical Sciences that was established by the Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon on the occasion of its Diamond Jubilee in January 2001 is confidently expected to enhance these activities with much more autonomy through its recognition as a Degree Awarding Institution for which Sri Lanka's Parliament will very soon make legislative provision. This College is the first of such institutions to be created in Sri Lanka. Apart from formal Postgraduate, Graduate, Diploma and Certificate Programmes in varied branches of Chemistry, the College will also offer shorter Knowledge Based courses in many areas related to the Chemical Sciences.
The ability of the Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon - a constituent body of FACS - to make use of its members working in various Universities and research institutions to enhance the provision of recognised tertiary level programmes geared towards meeting the national human resource needs of a developing nation is most exemplary, commendable and worthy of emulation.
The Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon which is the professional
body of Chemists in Sri Lanka, was established in 1971 as the
successor to the Chemical Society of Ceylon (Founded 1941) and
can thus claim to be oldest of such societies in the basic sciences
in Sri Lanka. It thus has a wide experience, history and record
of service in Sri Lanka.
One of the first of the new programmes taken on by the Institute
of Chemistry, Ceylon at its inception in the early seventies has
been the provision of formal tertiary educational opportunities
under its direction in the broad area of Chemical Sciences. The
absence of any such post-secondary programmes (other than the
Science Degree Programmes of the few state managed Universities)
in any area of the basic sciences was recognized by the Institute
of Chemistry, Ceylon as a serious lacuna in Sri Lanka’s educational
scenario. The provision of such tertiary educational opportunities,
as provided for in the Act of Incorporation No.15 of 1972, was
therefore taken up as a foremost priority thirty years ago.
The Technicians Diploma (in Laboratory Technology) in Chemistry, launched in 1974, (initially as a Laboratory Technicians’ Certificate Course & subsequently upgraded in name & content) was the first of such efforts since there was no such middle level programme in any of the basic sciences even within the state sector. This programme has now been conducted for the 27th successive year and has enabled the production of 726 Chemistry Technicians who are making a distinct contribution to the scientific work of graduate Chemists in service, analytical and research laboratories. The programme has been conducted to date in a leading private tertiary educational institution in Colombo since the Institute does not have any building of its own.
The Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon also recognized the complete
lack of any opportunity for middle level personnel employed in
activities in support of the work of Graduate Chemists to obtain
formal graduate level educational qualifications to enable them
to go up the ladder of opportunity. There also were a large number
of school-leavers, who though qualified, were unable to successfully
complete for the relatively few places that were available in
the state Universities for graduate level study. There also were
University Science Graduates who had followed a 3 year B Sc. “General”
Degree but were desirous of reading for the equivalent of a 4
year B Sc “Special Honours” Degree in Chemistry, an
opportunity that they had missed due to the very small number
of University places that were then available to do a Special
Degree in Chemistry. There were also the adults and the employed,
not necessarily in science related jobs, who were desirous of
such a belated opportunity.
The result of this realization was the launch, in 1979, of a very
ambitious programme to conduct a professional Graduateship Course
in Chemistry at an academic level equivalent to that of a Special/Honours
degree in Chemistry lasting a minimum period of 4 years. The programme
had to contend with and surmount considerable teething problems
at its inception caused largely by the absence of any building
of its own necessitating in the need to conduct this programme
in “borrowed” premises. Nevertheless, from very small
beginnings, the programme has today, 23 years later, reached a
level of considerable maturity that the programme represents a
very significant contribution to the tertiary educational scenario
in Sri Lanka. This has been possible despite the Institute not
having, even today, any building of its own and still having to
make use of “borrowed” premises to run its formal educational
programmes.
263 Graduate Chemists have passed out of 16 intakes of students
and are making a distinct and invaluable contribution to life
and work not only in Sri Lanka but also in many other countries.
Furthermore, a very large number of these Graduate Chemists have
obtained Master’s and Doctoral Degree from well recognized
Universities in many countries throughout the world. This Graduateship
programme has indeed become the most successful and promising
activity of the professional body of Chemists in Sri Lanka and
should therefore also serve as a standard and bench-mark for other
professional bodies in all parts of the world. The Institute of
Chemistry has towards this endeavour been able to draw upon the
ready cooperation and support of its highly qualified members
working in a number of Universities as well as research institutes
etc. The programme is conducted at week-ends at a leading secondary
College in Sri Lanka. The manner in which our Institute has been
able to make use of the minimum facilities existing in such an
environment to successfully conduct a tertiary level Honours Level
programme in Chemistry is simply fascinating and illuminating.
What is even more significant is the fact that the total cost
of the programme to a student is less than US $ 1000 for the full
4 year programme. The versatility of professional bodies such
as our Institute, even in a developing country, to carry on for
so long such a productive programme making use of the voluntary
services of its members is more than remarkable. Even today we
do not have a single full time faculty member. In order to maintain
standards at the requisite level, all question papers are moderated
and answer scripts re-examined by University academics appointed
on the recommendation of the Royal Society of Chemistry, U.K.
The Course Content and the Course Structure of the Graduateship
Programmes of the Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon have been revised
from time to time to take into account modern developments both
in tertiary level Chemistry as well as in related and allied areas.
For example, separate papers in Mathematics & Statistics and
Biological Chemistry are compulsory for all students in addition
to the other 4 papers in Basic Principles of Chemistry, Physical
Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry at the Part
I level. At the Part II level, six compulsory papers in Physical,
Organic, Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry are supplemented by
a selection of four papers from amongst a range of related topics
such as Chemical Technology, Bio-Technology, Environmental Chemistry,
Management, Information Technology etc.
Successful completion of both parts of the Graduateship Examination
in Chemistry enables admission as Graduate Members of the Institute
of Chemistry, Ceylon. This qualification is now widely recognized
for both employment as well as an entry qualification for Post-graduate
(Diploma, Master’s Degree etc.) programmes in may Universitites
and other higher educational institutions both in Sri Lanka and
abroad. The Royal Society of Chemistry, UK and the Royal Australian
Chemical Institute accepts this qualification as an exempting
qualification from Graduate Membership in these professional bodies.
Despite the absence of a permanent building of its own and
the consequential difficulties and problems associated with that,
the Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon has recognized the imperative
need to widen both in quality and quantity as well as in the level
and standard of its very successful educational programmes. The
Diamond Jubilee of the Institute, which fell on 25th January 2001,
was therefore used as the launching pad for the commencement of
this very ambitious cycle of operations. The necessary legal support
came from the amendments to the by-laws of the Institute of Chemistry,
Ceylon that were approved at its 60th Annual General Meeting held
on 20th June 2001.
The College of Chemical Sciences, which is the legal successor
to the Educational Committee of the Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon,
is now empowered with the following enhanced functions to act
with more authority, autonomy and independence:
- To conduct post-secondary Graduateship, Diploma, Certificate Course in the Chemical Sciences.
- To promote education in and application of chemistry at all levels.
- To initiate research activities in collaboration with Universities, Industry and foreign institutions.
- To establish library facilities including database access and technology information.
- To conduct refresher/in-service/training courses for scientists and teachers.
- To assist Industry in Product Development, Problem Solving, Quality Improvement and Product Diversification.
- To encourage staff exchange between the College and the Universities/Research Institutes in Sri Lanka and overseas.
- To publish journals/monographs etc. to disseminate the latest know how in Chemical Sciences.
- To take any measures that may be necessary for the attainment of the educational goals of the Institute.
The College of Chemical Sciences so established is confidently expected to enhance these activities with much more determination, autonomy and confidence. These activities would receive a further boost through its anticipated recognition by the University Grants Commission as a Degree Awarding Institution under the existing Universities Act or under further changes proposed under the proposed amendments to the Universities Act. The Sri Lanka College of Chemical Sciences is the first of such institutions to be created in Sri Lanka. Apart from formal Post-Graduate, Diploma and Certificate Programmes in varied branches of Chemistry, the College will also be able to offer shorter Knowledge Based Courses in many areas related to the Chemical Sciences.
The Institute’s Graduateship Programme, now in its 23rd year, has been a resounding example of the tremendous input that a professional body can make towards human resource development in a national scenario that is presently able to allow only 2% of the relevant student cohort to pursue free tertiary education in the state managed Sri Lankan Universities. The ability of the Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon a constituent body of the Federation of Asian Chemical Societies – to make use of the existing human resource potential amongst its members to enhance that provision of recognized tertiary level programmes geared towards meeting the national human resource needs of a developing nation is most exemplary, commendable and worthy of emulation. The newly established College of Chemical Sciences would be able to enhance the current provision of multifarious tertiary educational opportunities in the Chemical Sciences.
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CEJ Vol. 5, No. 2, Contents