(MENAFN- Colombo Gazette) High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Canberra, Yasoja Gunasekera met Vice Chancellor of Canberra University, Bill Shorten, to discuss expanding Canberra University's presence in Sri Lanka as well as collaboration between Sri Lanka and the University in capacity building in the IT sector.

This is in the context that Sri Lanka plans to increase its digital workforce to 200,000 by 2030 as part of a broader digital transformation strategy aimed at growing the digital economy and Sri Lanka, like many countries, faces a demand for digital skills that outstrips supply. Education and cooperation in capacity building are important components of the bilateral relationship between Sri Lanka and Australia.

The University of Canberra is a public research university with its main campus located in Bruce, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory and is ranked in the top 24% of universities worldwide in the 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

The Vice Chancellor noted that recognizing the need to ensure graduates are ready to meet the needs of industry, government and employers – especially as they adapt quickly to changing environments, the University of Canberra is introducing a suite of specialised micro credentials and online courses to enhance employability, workplace skills and confidence, giving students an even greater edge as they move into the workforce.

A senior leader of the ruling Australian Labor Party, the Bill Shorten was the Leader of the Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2013 to 2019. He also served as a cabinet minister in the Gillard, Rudd and Albanese governments. Born in Melbourne, Bill Shorten had a significant Sri Lankan constituency when he was in the Parliament and expressed a deep fondness for Sri Lanka.

Bill Shorten was assisted at the meeting by Head of the School of IT and Systems/ Faculty of Science and Technology, Prof. Kumudu Munasinghe,; Deputy Director/ Future Students, Aditya Vaddiparthi, and Manager/ International Partnerships and Engagement, Jennifer Babic. (BBC)

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