Statement of Prof. David Proverbs - Birmingham City University

Professor David Proverbs, Associate Dean at the faculty of Computing, Engineering and Built Environments at Birmingham City University (BCU) issued a warm message to the Java Institute and its students via a video to welcome the collaboration between Birmingham City University UK, and the Java Institute for Advanced Technology.

Professor Proverbs is also explained his role in more detail and how he is responsible for the international portfolio of Birmingham City University in the faculty and stated in his video that he was extremely pleased to welcome the Java Institute as a partner institute and expressed his wish that he could personally be present to meet and greet the students of the first cohort of BCU undergraduates, but considering the current environment and travel restrictions due to Covid-19 globally isn’t able to do so, but wanted to send his warmest wishes to all from University of Birmingham via a video message.

He expressed how pleased that Birmingham City was able to put in place a partnership with the Java Institute for Advanced Technology as a prestigious partner here in Sri Lanka and to work together to build a shared vision to train the next generation of highly skilled professionals and software engineers.

Speaking about the Java Institute, Professor Proverbs recognized that the Java Institute for Advanced Technology is a leading research based higher educations in Sri Lanka and how the Birmingham City University was pleased to be working in partnership to develop the world’s best software engineers.

The Professor also reflected on how this partnership comes at a time when the world is facing a global pandemic and is a very challenging time for all, but expressed his optimism that once the threat has passed, the demand for quality graduates with strong technical and digital skills will continue to grow and how the BCU undergraduates of the Java Institute would have an important role to play in this recovery process and to become a more resilient society.

Speaking about the vision of this collaboration, Professor Proverbs also defined how the Birmingham University and the Java Institute have a shared vision to transform the employment prospects of our students and how we are committed to delivering degree courses that develop the graduates of the future and who possess the professional and technical skills needed by employers.

He also directly addressed the students of the initial cohort of BCU undergraduates studying the BSc in Hons. In Software Engineering, validated by Birmingham City University and expressed his delight in them choosing to study in this programme, and explained how the BCU takes great pride in working with students as partners and how they are at the heart of everything Birmingham City University does.

He further elaborated how the course was designed to provide a truly international understanding of the subject and would provide a global perspective that would improve employment prospects wherever they may be. Professor Proverbs explained that BCU approaches course design with close collaboration with industry to ensure that the knowledge and skills developed help to produce highly employable graduates both today and for the future.

Professor Proverbs also mentioned how BCU graduates go on to achieve great things and secure prestigious roles with many internationally leading organizations and wished the current students well as they embark on their programme and expressed his wish that students would find the course of study enjoyable, rigorous and would become an exciting period of time in their lives and how he and the BCU look forward to seeing them achieve their aspirations and hearing news of their progress through their journey.