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The International Conference on Smart Computing and Systems Engineering (SCSE) 2023, held on the 29th of June 2023, marked its sixth consecutive year. Esteemed delegates from corporate and academic backgrounds, including renowned academics, research scholars, and industry experts, gathered to exchange ideas on recent innovations, emerging trends, and practical challenges in the industrial and service sectors related to smart computing and systems engineering. The conference received technical sponsorship from the IEEE Sri Lanka Section.

The event commenced with two captivating keynote speeches. Dr. Yasantha Rajakarunanayake, Vice President of Research and AI Technology at Analog Inference, California, United States, delivered an enlightening talk on "Innovation in the age of Artificial Intelligence." This was followed by a speech on "Machine Learning for Sustainable Energy" by Prof. Saman Halgamuge from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Electrical, Mechanical, and Infrastructure Engineering at the University of Melbourne, Australia. These thought-provoking keynotes set the stage for the subsequent presentations in the technical sessions.

Distinguished guests graced the occasion, including Senior Professor S.R.D. Kalingamudali, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Chairman of the Research Council, Senior Professor Kapila Senavirathne, Prof. Janaka Wijayanayake, Head of the Department of Industrial Management and Conference Chair, Dr. Amila Withanaarachchi. The event was further embellished by the presence of academic and non-academic staff members from the department, researchers, undergraduates from the Department of Industrial Management, and invited guests. Platinum sponsors for the conference were MAS Linea Aqua and SLT Mobitel.

SCSE 2023 received an overwhelming response, with 193 full paper submissions from researchers representing countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, India, etc. The paper selection process was highly competitive, resulting in an acceptance rate of 29%. All fifty-six accepted full papers will be indexed in SCOPUS and added to IEEE Xplore. There were ten technical sessions after the inaugural ceremony to present papers in two tracks (smart computing and systems engineering), fostering profound discussions among the attendees.

In conjunction with SCSE 2023, the Department of Industrial Management, Faculty of Science at the University of Kelaniya, organized two pre-conference workshops on the 27th and 28th of June 2023. The first workshop, titled "Transforming Data into Actionable Insights: PowerBI Analytics Workshop," was conducted by Ms. Hiruni Niwunhella, a lecturer at the Department of Industrial Management. The second workshop, led by Mr. Dinesh Asanka, a senior lecturer in the same department, focused on "Data-driven Decision Making: Exploring Analytics and Warehousing Strategies." These workshops witnessed active participation from university academics, data analysts, corporate executives, and graduate students, providing valuable insights into the respective topics.

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“SRSOL 2023”, the first-ever Students' Research Symposium in Operations and Logistics organised by the Department of Operations and Logistics of the Faculty of Business, at National School of Business Management (NSBM), was held on the 11th of May 2023 under the theme of “Integrating Operations, Logistics and Project Management for Business Success”. The symposium was established to give students an opportunity to exchange ideas, uncover hidden information, and share their findings in the most cutting-edge branches of operations and logistics.

The keynote speech was delivered by Dr. Chathumi Kavirathna, Senior Lecturer from the Department of Industrial Management of University of Kelaniya, who has made a remarkable contribution to research in the fields of Maritime transport and shipping industry: modeling and analysis, Supply chain planning and optimisation logistics, Transport planning and policy analysis, Logistics and transport system optimisation and Competition and cooperation strategy analysis and game theory. Dr. Kavirathna established the tenor of the event with her stimulating speech on ‘Sri Lanka as a Maritime Logistics Hub: Cooperation for a Win-Win Solution’.  

The event was graced by Vice Chancellor, Prof. E.A.Weerasinghe, Head of Academic Development and Quality Assurance, Prof. Bharatha Dodankotuwa, Dean of the Faculty of Business, Ms. Thilini De Silva, Deans and Heads of Other faculties. As the Chief Guest of the event Dr. Namali Sirisoma, President, The Charted Institute of Logistics and Transpiration, addressed the gathering.

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On March 29th, 2023 another session on presenting Senate Awards was held at the senate room, University of Kelaniya. The senate awards have been established to emphasise the importance of research at the University of Kelaniya and also, to honour and appreciate the academic staff members, who excel in research and make outstanding contributions to the university community through their work in their respective fields of study.

All the researchers whose papers were published in internationally recognised, prestigious indexed journals were acknowledged. Furthermore, in appreciation of their work, the researchers were presented with Senate Awards and cash prizes by the Vice – Chancellor, Senior Prof. Nilanthi de Silva. Moreover, the Deans of Faculties, Heads of Departments, and senate members were present at the occasion.

Upholding the reputation of the Department of Industrial Management, Faculty of Science as a competitive unit, Senior Lecturer Dr. Ruwan Wickckramaarachchi, Senior Lecturer Dr. Amila Withanaarachchi, and Lecturer Dr. Chathumi Ayanthi, received certificates of recognition for research publications.

Moreover, Ms. Ishara Ranathunga, Ms. Jinendri Prasadika, Ms. Piyumika Peiris, and Ms. Komudya Chathurangi from the staff of temporary lecturers were also awarded the Senate Honours for publishing research papers. 

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The ‘Kickstarter Weekend’ organised for the undergraduates of the Department of Industrial Management, Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya was held from 3rd to 5th March at the department premises aiming to enhance essential entrepreneurial skills to bolster their confidence when stepping out into a world of challenges and help them make their mark as formidable individuals. This three-day residential programme was conducted by SquareHub (Pvt) Ltd. Led by Mr. Kanishka Weeramunda, in collaboration with EDB (Export Development Board) of Sri Lanka. Mr. Suresh de Mel, the Chairman of EDB, a well-known entrepreneur, graced the event along with the team of trainers from SquareHub, comprised of mentors, speakers and judges who were dedicated to provide the students with a valuable experience of a lifetime.

The programme incorporated a variety of activities ranging from ice-breaking, design thinking, and idea-generating activities, intending to maximise student interaction. These engaging activities were able to captivate the undergraduates’ utmost attention and were successful in maintaining enthusiasm and ensuring their continued involvement throughout the programme, despite the long hours. Moreover, they helped the students conceptualise an idea, pitch it to an audience, develop the idea into a business while looking at possible obstacles, and finally present it to an audience of experts for their evaluation. Furthermore, the programme extended a special focus on augmenting the core skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills of the undergraduates, helping them to broaden their ability to analyse and evaluate information and make reasoned decisions. 

All the participants in the Kickstarter Weekend were able to work in a collaborative environment while creating different teams, working on their ideas and presentations, and unite with like-minded, creative, ambitious, and motivated people that demonstrated the students’ ability to become promising seekers of solutions, for the challenging problems prevailing in our modern world. 

During this entire process which was done in an interactive, fully immersive environment curated by SquareHub, the participants were able to take an active part in developing start-up culture and to Join a vast global network of passionate and competent organisers, mentors, and entrepreneurs along with other talented members of our local and regional community. The testimonials of the participants confirm that the programme helped them build their interpersonal and organisational abilities to help diversify their work and enhance their career. The unwavering dedication of the SquareHub team coupled with the competitive group of young undergraduates with an admirable team spirit made the whole programme a success. 

Moreover, the steadfast support and generous contribution of the sponsors, Axiata Digital Labs, Upfield Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., and Kansha (Pvt) Ltd. were an integral part in the accomplishment of this ‘Kickstarter Weekend’ that gave a positive and lasting experience for the undergraduates.