Driving Postgraduate Education
& Research Forward

SLTC held its International Research Symposium virtually on 17 June 2020, organized jointly by the School of Postgraduate Studies and Research (SPSR) and the Office of Research and Innovation Services (ORIS). The symposium set out to showcase the university's research outcomes while deepening national and international collaborations.

Four keynote speakers anchored the programme: Prof. Cooray of the International University of Japan, Prof. Kelum of the University of Glasgow, Prof. Rui of Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and Prof. Elisabetta Comini from Italy. Around these addresses, 37 research presentations unfolded across five technical sessions spanning a wide range of disciplines, and the day closed with a panel discussion on "Innovative Education." Roughly 700 participants from Sri Lanka and abroad took part, making the symposium a meaningful venue for knowledge exchange despite its virtual format.

Established in 2005, ICIAfS is a biennial conference that has become a fixture in Sri Lanka's research calendar. Its 2021 edition carried the theme "Sustainable Development through Effective Man-Machine Co-existence," drawing researchers, academics, and industry experts to explore advances in automation, information and communication technologies, and sustainability.

SLTC's Centre for Telecommunication Research (CTR) hosted the conference, handling infrastructure, coordination, and administrative support. The event carried significant technical weight through co-sponsorship by IEEE, IEEE Region 10, IEEE Sri Lanka Section, IEEE Chinese Section, and several affiliated IEEE societies, and it holds the distinction of being the first international conference sponsored jointly by IEEE Sri Lanka Section and IEEE Region 10. Beyond its immediate outcomes, ICIAfS 2021 reinforced SLTC's standing in telecommunications, automation, and sustainability research on the international stage.

IRC 2022 took place on 29–30 September 2022 in hybrid format at SLTC's Main Campus in Padukka, organized around the theme "Technological Advancements for Sustainability." The conference gave researchers, academics, industry professionals, and students a shared platform to present work addressing sustainability challenges.

Thirteen technical tracks structured the programme, covering engineering, information and communication technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, biomedical engineering, agriculture, environment, business, and social sciences. Keynote addresses came from Prof. Rostislav Yavorski of Exactpro Systems Limited, Prof. Ben Basnayake of the University of Peradeniya, Prof. Yonghui Li of the University of Sydney, Prof. Rangika Halwatura of the University of Moratuwa, and Prof. Lahiru Jayakody of Southern Illinois University.

The conference brought together SLTC's own research community with participants from more than 25 Sri Lankan institutions and over 20 international universities and research organizations, extending its reach as a hub for collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Held in Colombo on 14–15 December, IRC 2023 carried forward the momentum under the theme "Advancing Research and Innovation for Sustainable Futures." Organized by Sri Lanka Technology Campus, the conference again united academics, researchers, industry professionals, and students around shared research and innovation goals.

The programme touched on civil engineering and the built environment, electrical and systems engineering, information and communication technology, artificial intelligence and robotics, mathematics and statistics, business management, social sciences, sustainable agriculture, environment, and food security. Four keynote sessions gave the conference its intellectual centre: Prof. Rangika Halwathura of the University of Moratuwa spoke on invention, innovation, and sustainability; Prof. Meththika Vithanage of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura addressed biochar technology for a resilient future; Dr. Karl Jones of Liverpool John Moores University discussed modern applications of digital and video forensics; and Prof. Aruna Ranaweera, also of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, examined technology, complexity, and the natural balance.

Participation from SLTC, more than 25 Sri Lankan universities, and over 15 international universities underscored the conference's growing role in strengthening research ties and raising SLTC's profile.

IRC 2024 unfolded across two venues, SLTC's Main Campus in Padukka and Trace Campus in Colombo, on 6–7 November, under the theme "Technology and Innovation for Growth: Fostering Multidisciplinary Research for Sustainable Advancement." The dual-campus format reflected the conference's ambition to widen access for academics, researchers, industry professionals, and students seeking to share research and build interdisciplinary partnerships.

Ten multidisciplinary technical tracks framed the discussions, covering engineering, information and communication technology, artificial intelligence and robotics, business management, sustainable agriculture, social sciences, and education, alongside keynote sessions, an industry dialogue, poster presentations, and technical sessions. Dr. Ravi Fernando of Global Strategic Corporate Sustainability Pvt. Ltd., Prof. Kenichi Matsushima of Shinshu University in Japan, and Prof. Gehan Amaratunga of the University of Cambridge delivered the keynote addresses.

The scale of participation told its own story: over 100 full papers and extended abstracts, 30 poster presentations, and contributions from researchers at more than 25 universities. IRC 2024 cemented academia-industry engagement and reaffirmed SLTC's position as a research-driven institution.

IRC 2025 took place on 12–13 November at SLTC Trace Expert City in Colombo and the Padukka Campus, under the theme "Unified by Innovation – Exploring the Digital Frontiers Across Disciplines." Organized by the Office of Research and Innovation Services under the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies and Research, the conference stood as SLTC's flagship research event for the year, built around interdisciplinary collaboration and digital innovation.

Twelve thematic areas structured the conference, ranging from engineering and biomedical systems to information and communication technology, artificial intelligence and robotics, fundamental sciences, sustainable agriculture, environment, food and bioprocess technology, social sciences, business strategy, and fashion and textile technologies. Prof. Thushari Silva of the University of Moratuwa opened the keynote sessions with "Responsible AI for a Digital Future: Innovation, Trust, and Human-Centered Intelligence," followed by Prof. Igor Balaban of the University of Zagreb, who spoke on "From Data to Intelligent Presence: Rethinking the Future of Digital Education."

Three pre-conference webinars extended the conference's reach ahead of the main event, featuring Prof. Yun-Song Lai of Sichuan Agricultural University, Dr. Pasindu Lugoda of University College London, and Prof. Filippo Biscarini of the Italian National Research Council. In all, 75 participants took part, contributing to SLTC's ongoing efforts to build research collaboration and a stronger innovation ecosystem.