|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
1 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Progress Report – September 2003
Highlights
· ITTPO Board of Directors’ visit to VanniTech · Business opportunities and requirements are identified · Progress in Course-work development · Recognizing the Volunteer contributions · VanniTech Presentations & Discussions at several forums
Report
Ø VanniTech has been successfully inaugurated on June 23, 2003. Ø Classes have started and the 1st Quarter is almost over. Ø ITTPO board of directors would like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone who contributed to this major milestone. Ø Detailed inauguration report can be found at www.vanni.org.
Opening of the VanniTech name board
Lighting the traditional lamp
· ITTPO Board of Directors’ visit to VanniTech Ø Chairman of ITTPO, Dr. Ratnam Sooriyakumaran, and acting CTO and board of director Mr. Ruban Kanapathippillai visited VanniTech from California Ø They met with VanniTech students and the faculty and discussed several issues. Ø They are very much impressed with the talent pool at VanniTech, both students and instructors. Ø Also, the feedback they received from students, instructors, other employees at VanniTech, and other visitors and well-wishers were very heartening and encouraging.
ITTPO Board of Directors at VanniTech From left to right: Acting CTO of ITTPO Mr. Ruban Kanapathippillai, President of VanniTech and CTO of ITTPO Mr. Jey Kumara Surier, Chairman of ITTPO Dr. Ratnam Sooriyakumaran.
· Business opportunities and requirements are identified Ø VanniTech is currently identifying local and international business opportunities. Ø In order to create employment opportunity for people of Northeast, VanniTech is in the process of incubating ventures to offer jobs to students and to establish a link between potential businesses and students. Ø VanniTech is soliciting additional help from international and local entrepreneurs to work with VanniTech in the area of database and web development, network and system administrations and basic electronics troubleshooting.
Ø ITTPO board worked with VanniTech administration and finalized the second year budget for VanniTech. Ø The proposed second year budget is US$80,000.
· Progress in Course-work development Ø Many volunteers with technical expertise are continuing to contribute towards creating coursework that can create immediate job opportunities. Ø Course work development for the second quarter is almost complete. Ø If you are interested in contributing towards any course work, please contact rubankk@ittpo.org
Ø VanniTech has hired a system administrator and two other office staffs. Ø More information about the VanniTech faculty can be found at www.vanni.org
Ø We would like to thank all you for your contribution towards providing jobs and education to the people of Northeast. We would like to recognize and convey our special thanks to the following volunteers: · Vijay Ratnam, California, USA. § Vijay has spent about three months from April to July in Vanni. § Among other things, he designed and setup the network Infrastructure for the entire institution and the lab facilities.
· Andrew Murray, California, USA. § Andrew spent about a month in Vanni between May and June. § He helped to setup the facility and taught English to VanniTech faculty.
§ He also helped with the student entrance screening process. · Jeyatheepan Ulagapiragasam, Colombo. § Jeyatheepan helped in several ways for the establishment of VanniTech.
§ He also created the website www.vanni.org. § He continues his support by being part of the VanniTech Industry Advisory Committee.
· Gana Arumugam, Toronto § Introduced ITTPO and VanniTech at the inception in his TechTalk Radio show on Canadian Tamil Radio
§ Designed VanniTech network infrastructure and continues to be Network infrastructure consultant
§ Develops course works · TSVP (The Student Volunteer Program) Volunteers, Toronto, Canada. § Five Volunteers from TSVP participated in VanniTech’s Volunteer Teaching program and taught students and trained the lecturers in
the latest technology.
§ Mr. Ravishankar Kamalachandra, University of Toronto § Mr. Kumaran Nadesalingam, University of Toronto § Mr. Skandha Sundaresan, University of Toronto § Ms. Shanthini Paramanathar, University of Waterloo § Ms. Dhimo Sornalingam, University of Toronto § They also taught English to the students and faculty. · Tamils @ Microsoft, Washington, USA. § Many expatriate Tamils from Microsoft helped towards the development of course work.
§ They continue to support VanniTech by taking an integral part in the course work development.
§ They also donated several books and software. · Tamil Expatriates § Several expatriates from other companies have helped to develop coursework and mentored VanniTech faculty members and
students.
Ø Mr. Shankar Subramaniam, USA Ø Mr. Devendra Vamathevan, USA Ø Mr. Appiah Raveenthiran, Australia Ø Mr. Tom Fernando, USA Ø Mr. Ravi Ravindren, USA Ø Mr. Thuraisingham Pradheeban, Sri Lanka Ø Many organizations and individuals have visited and continue to visit VanniTech. Ø Also, many of them contributed financially and technically.
Ø On June 21st, Canadian Tamil Radio hosted VanniTech discussion related to inauguration in their prime time talk show Ø ITTPO presented VanniTech achievements and future plans in Tamils of Northern California (TNC) function on August 9th Ø ITTPO presented High-Tech education: VanniTech at Canadian TEEDOR’s TechExpo on August 10th Ø At Lancaster, California, ITTPO presented VanniTech achievements and future plans
· Finally, things are progressing very well but we cannot be complacent. We have a lot more to accomplish. Soon we’ll need to collect funds for the Second year operation. We also would like to encourage everyone to actively participate in this project by sharing your knowledge for the development of the course work, donating books and equipment, or just paying a visit to VanniTech. |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Last updated on 04/08/2007 10:06 AM - Copyright © ITTPO, 2005. |
||||||||||||||||||||
