Aviation Education in Sri Lanka- September, 2014

For the very first time, Sri Lanka will be offering, educational programmes in the field of Aviation, in collaboration with Russia.

The Colombo International Nautical Engineering College (CINEC), together with the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI)- the prestigious Russian State University of Aerospace Technology, and Mos Lanka Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, have collaborated to offer students, aspiring to follow a path of study in the field of aviation, to do so in Sri Lanka.

These Programmes will be conducted by CINEC and MAI, leading to Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.), in Aeronautical Engineering, Aircraft Engineering and Automatic Control in Engineering Systems.

The programmes are scheduled to commence in September 2014.

MAI has appointed Mos Lanka Holdings, as its partner for these educational programmes, in the Asian Region, marking a historical milestone in Sri Lanka’s education sector, as it is the first such joint venture of its nature, to be established in Sri Lanka.

Together, both MAI and Mos Lanka Holdings, aim to open up these educational programmes, to prospective students in other Asian countries as well.

MAI is one of the world’s leading Engineering Universities, dedicated to Aerospace Technologies. It is ranked as one of the 12 best Universities of the Russian Federation, and the Russian Government officially recognises it as a ‘National Research University of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering’.

Since its inception in 1930, more than 140,000 students including 1,000 international students, from 40 countries, have graduated from this Institute.

It comprises over 1,700 Professors and Lecturers, including both 300 Full-Professors (D.Sc.) and 800 Associate Professors (Ph.D.), who teach more than 20,000 Under-graduate, Graduate, and Post-graduate students at 10 schools, three Institutes, and four branches of the University.

It also includes among its alumni, around 100 General and Chief Designers, 43 Members and Associate Members of the Russian academy of science, 250 State and Government Prize Laureates, and 21 Cosmonauts, who have spent a total of 12 years, in outer- space.

The designers- Tupolev A.N. (class ‘TU’ aircraft), Mikoyan A.I. (class ‘MIG’ aircraft), Jakovlev A.S. (class ‘JAK’ aircraft), were the first Professors of the Institute.

MAI is a large Scientific Research Centre, and an unique Institute of higher education, which combines a thorough theoretical knowledge, with diverse practical skills. It is also, an advanced multidiscipline academic and research center, which provides students with current-technology know-how, to qualify as globally recognised scientists or engineers.

So far, five fundamental scientific discoveries, for dynamic systems have been patented by MAI. These include the optoelectronic device ‘Photon’, currently operating in outer-space, and innovative power sources, invented and constructed by MAI, currently used in aircraft, and aerospace system units.

MAI commenced educating international students in 1991. At present, approximately 1200 foreign Under-graduates, Post-graduates and trainees from 38 countries, including Algeria, Bangladesh, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Union of Myanmar, Thailand, India, Mexico, Mongolia, Peru, France, the United States of America, Turkey, Brazil, and CIS countries, are being educated at the University.

MAI is also a Corporate Member, of several authoritative international organizations, including SAE International, Royal Aeronautical Society, and the Institute of Measurement and Control.

CINEC Campus is Sri Lanka’s largest Non-Governmental institute of higher education. It is also the largest Maritime Educational Training Institute approved by the Directorate of Merchant shipping in Sri Lanka.

Over the past two decades, CINEC has established itself as the most prestigious option, for those who desire a career in the fields of Maritime, Engineering, Technology, Logistics, Management and IT, by providing world class excellence, in education and training. CINEC Campus caters to over 15,000 students annually, who follow a range of over 180 Educational and training programs.

For the first time, MAI will be conducting the degree course in English, especially for CINEC, and will be the only Aviation Institute to teach students, to design, build and fly.

Students after sitting for the G.C.E. O/L examination are eligible, to apply for the Foundation Programme, apart from the three Degree Programmes offered.

Russian experts from MAI will monitor, all programmes conducted at CINEC, in order to ensure high standards. CINEC will cater to regional students to study Aviation, and serve as the offshore campus of MAI.