Brief:

Faculty of Engineering is maintaining a close relationship with the industry through R&D, testing, consulting and CPD programmes. MoUs and research collaborations have been initiated with the industries to maintain a close working relationship. Further, the Faculty of Engineering, University of Jaffna is committed to not only train high quality Engineers but also to empower them to be entrepreneurs by developing entrepreneurial skills and train them on technology development. This involves continuous engagement with the students from day one till they graduate. Some of the initiatives such as such as establishing incubation centre, start-up weekend boot-camps, seminar, workshops, and joint project supervision for final year research projects.

R&D Collaboration:

1. INSEE-MoU on Concrete Research
2. WUSC MoU to improve construction industry in North
3. Electric Motorbike development – UV Automate & Novel Eco System
4. R&D Collaboration and lab establishment – SwissRank Pvt Ltd / BMI Group/SLT (In the process)

Testing and Consultancy

1. Northern Transportation Planning for Megapolis planning-Civil Engineering (Dr. A. Anburuvel)
2. Cement Block Testing- Civil Engineering (Dr. N. Sathiparan)
3. Lectures voluntary Consulting Collaboration with TechCeylon to help local MSMEs (Eng. Anuraj -Mechanical Eng)

CPD Programs

1. Kelani Shakthi to train electricians (Dr. T. Thiruvaran-Coordinator)
2. WaSo Workshops for Engineers on GIS and Water Resources
3. Renewable Energy Technologies (Workshop targeting industry)

Industry Oriented Research Projects

1. Electrical and Electronic Engineering- CEB, LECO
2. Civil Engineering – INSEE
3. Computer Engineering – ML Companies
4. Mechanical, Manufacturing and Process Engineering (Prosthetic Center) – Jaipur Foundation

Entrepreneurship, Innovation and technology development

1.  Workshop on Engineering Entrepreneurial Solutions to local challenges
   • Field visits:
   • Defunct Rice Mill
   • MAS-Vidiyal
   • Jaggery Factory (Sweet Toddy Processing)
   • Cargill Agro Facilities
   • Community Visit-
   • Map out the technical, social, political, financial, ethical and legal challenges in each case.
   • Identify a technical problem with least political, financial, ethical, and legal barriers to make a big social impact, and to brainstorm on possible engineering design approaches to solve it.
   • Engineering approaches with a clear focus, possible collaborations with industry and community partners, time plan with monthly milestones, and expected impact.
2. Establishment of Incubation Center – Opened on 6^th Aug 2018

The Incubator will be under the purview of University Business Linkage Cell of the Faculty of Engineering.

Vision: To facilitate inventors to develop their inventions and startups effectively.

Mission: Create an efficient working environment and convenient procedures for the inventors to follow in getting the services from the incubator conveniently. Be receptive to inventors, foster them with proper guidance.

Roles:

• Legal, administrative and commercial services:
  – Preparation of the action plan & feasibility study.
  – Public relations, marketing and promotion of the product.
  – Obtaining patent and intellectual property protection.
• Product life-cycle:
  – Design and reverse engineering, 3D printing, quick formation of the initial model, rapid supply of equipment, monitoring the quality of the product, engineering assessment, financial models and calculations.
• Training Services:
  – Organize training programs and conducts a number of workshops and lectures in the areas of “investment opportunities” in the industry, intellectual property and etc.
• Provide work space free of charge including services such as telecommunications services and high-speed Internet, access to seminar and conference rooms, video-conferencing facilities.

Location:

• Kilinochchi premises is home to Agriculture, Engineering and Technology faculties
• They have necessary human capital and specialized infrastructure required to support different stages of product development, testing and business formation;
• Incubation Centre brings various resources together for entrepreneurial local youth and students with innovative ideas to develop further and commercialize products and start-up businesses.
• Academic staff will get the opportunity to contribute on developing commercially viable products and technologies through mentoring and consulting.
• Faculty of Engineering can provide instant access to product manufacturing and testing facilities.

Progress:

• Faculty of Engineering submitted a comprehensive proposal for equipment and furniture to Ministry of Science, Technology and Research to establish a national incubation center in Kilinochchi premises in July 2017.
• Ministry responded positively for a reduced list of equipments and some furniture for establishing the center in a smaller scale in August 2017.
• Faculty of Engineering signed an agreement to establish “Capital Maharaja Professor of Entrepreneurship and Business Startup Mentoring” fully funded by The Capital Maharajah Organization Limited in October 2017.
• Delegates from SLIC visited the Faculty to see the proposed site and temporary location in November 2017.
• A sum of 10.85 million LKR allocated from SLIC fund to establish the center in November 2017.
• A sum of 9.66 million LKR was released for the purchase orders issues by end of December 2017
• Started the operation with our first incubatee registered with the center.
• Our first incubatee filed for a patent.
• Ceremonial opening done on 06/08/2018
• NPD Approved Comprehensive proposal in August 2018

Operational Structure:

State of Operations:

• Secretariat: The secretariat is functioning with a Management Trainee appointed for secretarial duties overseen by Coordinator/UBL-Faculty of Engineering.
• Workshop: The mini workshop is now functional with the easy access to manufacturing lab at mechanical, manufacturing and process engineering building and other facilities on premises
• Start-up Guidance: Workshops for the student and staff on start-up and IP are being conducted. Boot camps are facilitated. In the process of pooling resources and reference materials for incubates in the library (related books donated by Asia Foundation added to Engineering Library). Voluntary pool of mentors are helping. Hiring process of Entrepreneurship Chair Professor is on-few potential candidates have been identified
• Incubatees: Currently seven projects/incubates are getting assistance from the center (mentoring/ip protection/funding).
• Finances: Financial Regulations are strictly followed. The initial funding for the establishment was provided by SLIC, expecting further operational assistance and development assistance based on the progress. Funding through UBL-Jaffna for product development (AHEAD project). Funding through private donors.

Incubatees/Projects Supported:

1. Santhanam Sangar (from 1^st batch)
   – Waste oil to Grease (Mentors from Science/Engineering, patent pending)
   – Soap Startup (mentoring)
2. Yasindhu Sandaruwan (from 1^st batch)
   – Multiple inventions in Electrical and Electronic Engineering/recognitions (mentoring/patent drafting)
   – Working at a startup – Vega Innovations
3. Thadsanamoorthe Jeventhan (1^st year student)
   – Joined as a pre-university intern
   – Developed a turbine for mini-hydro with low head and tested
   – Mentoring/Funding (Through Alumni Association)
4. Shanthigan Balasubramanium (1^st batch)
   – Founder: Garudan (Pvt) Ltd.
   – Developed Automatic lawn mover as student
   – Launched two products : Qguard & Qbus
   – Mentoring/Product development support
5. Project: Electric Bike Development
   – Collaboration with UV Automate & Novel Eco System
   – Mr. Parameswaran is the developer
   • Multiple inventions
   • Receiving mentoring and product development support
6. Drowsiness detection system
   – Developed by Kavindu/Sherman/Maduranga
   – Mentor: Dr. K. Ahilan (EEE)
   – Prototype developed and further development started
   – To be support through UBL AHEAD fund (further development/IP protection)
7. Aterial blood flow restoring device
   – Developed by Linojan/Dharshika/Jeyarukshi
   – Mentor: Dr. T. Thiruvaran
   – Protype developed, further development started
   – To be support through UBL AHEAD fund (further development/IP protection)

Activities:

• Boot camps
  – Startup weekend – Vanni (2016)
  – ImagineIF – University of Jaffna (2018)
  – Startup Weekend Women’s edition, Colombo (2019)
• Seminars
  – “Are Business Plans the road to map to success?”
  by Sheryl Edision, Silicon Valley, USA
  – “Entrepreneurship” by Dr. Chelvayohan, CK Sensors LLC, Kentucky, USA
  – “Essential Innovation for Changing world”
  – “What it takes to be an entrepreneur and what are the opportunities available” Prof. Chelvakumar, Entrepreneur and Academic
• Workshop
  – Hands on STEM workshops through IITGN to promote interest in STEM and innovation. Resources- from Center for Creative Learning.
• Showcasing/Marketing
  – Jaffna International Tradefair 2019
  – Stall obtained by UBL-Jaffna
  – Showcased R&D and student enterprises

Recent Initiatives:

• Innovation for changing world
• Hands on STEM workshop
• Conducted for Teachers from North & East Provinces (Sponsored by WaSo Project-UoJ)
• Students from Jaffna/Kilinochchi/Vavuniya (Sponsored by Jaffna University Graduates Association/eKalvi)
• University staff and students (University sponsored)
• Feedback (example):

Development of the Incubation Center:

• A comprehensive proposal for Building & Equipment submitted.
• National Planning Department approved under consolidated fund
• Currently searching for funding
• Visited established Incubators in some US Universities, IIT Madras/VIT and new incubator at IITGN to study operational and infrastructure setup.

Item	cost (in million LKR)
Equipment and Furniture	334.00
Building	300.00
Total	634.00