Fifty three Graduate Chemists will be conferred their designations at the fifth Convocation of the College of Chemical Sciences to be held tomorrow at Cinnamon Grand Colombo. Eminent Educationist and Academic Professor (Eng) Dayantha Wijeyesekera, who has the unique distinction of having been Vice-Chancellor of two Sri Lankan Universities over a period of 15 years will grace the occasion as Chief Guest and deliver the Convocation Address. 32 Diplomates, who have followed the Diploma in Laboratory Technology programme at a middle level as well as 8 Licentiate Chemists will also receive their awards at Friday’s Convocation.

The Institute of Chemistry Ceylon will also recognize Professor Wijeyesekera’s contribution to Education, Open & Distant Learning and Professional Development by admitting him as an Honorary Fellow of the Institute, which is the highest honour that it can bestow.

Professor J N Oleap Fernando, the Honorary Dean of the College, states in a media release that the non-conventional Educational Programmes which the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon has spearheaded for the last four decades at the Graduate level as well as the Technologist level have today become an integral part of the tertiary educational scenario in Sri Lanka. These are enabling large numbers of persons to obtain high quality professional education from the best experts available in the relevant fields at minimal cost without any delays whatsoever and are a typical example of the contribution a professional body can make towards Education in an efficient and effective manner outside the state sector.