Hon. N. Vethanayahan, Governor of the Northern Province, emphasized that universities should extend their support to provincial departments to advance the development and progress of the province. He noted that through such collaborative efforts, the Northern Province can achieve outstanding development in the years ahead.
The Governor made these remarks while participating in a special discussion held today – on Wednesday 25 February 2026, at the Faculty of Technology, Kilinochchi Ariviyalnagar, University of Jaffna.
Continuing his address, the Hon. Governor stated that substantial financial allocations would be made available to the Northern Province this year from various funding sources, and emphasized that all development projects must be completed with quality and within the stipulated timeframe. He noted that the province is currently facing a significant shortage of human resources, particularly in technical fields, and therefore called upon the university community to extend its full cooperation in overcoming these challenges. He further stressed the need to establish a strong and sustainable collaborative mechanism for both the present and the future, highlighting that graduates and final-year students from the Faculties of Technology and Engineering could be engaged in development projects on a training basis. By effectively utilizing available human resources, he said, the province could be firmly guided toward sustainable progress.
Following the Governor’s address, Akilan Kathirkamar, a member of the Governor’s Advisory Council, delivered a detailed presentation on how the university could make a meaningful contribution to the province’s development initiatives. He highlighted ways to revitalize factories that had been launched in the past but left incomplete, as well as how to optimize the use of idle machinery and improve the performance of low-productivity industries in the Northern Province. He further explained the types of technical expertise, research support, and practical guidance the university could provide to transform these establishments into efficient and sustainable operations capable of achieving their original objectives.
Subsequently, detailed requests were submitted through the Northern Provincial Department of Industries and the Department of Local Government outlining the specific areas in which technical assistance from the university community would be required. Particular attention was given to exploring how the university could contribute to information technology–related initiatives in alignment with the government’s digitalization policy, thereby strengthening institutional capacity and enhancing service delivery across the province.
Furthermore, it was emphasized that the university could play a vital role in evaluating the merits and drawbacks of new development projects and investment proposals coming into the province. During the discussion, it was also noted that similar collaborative frameworks between universities and provincial administrations have been successfully established in several other provinces. The session concluded with a comprehensive and engaging open discussion among the participants.
The discussion was attended by Thanuja Murugesan, Chief Secretary of the Northern Province; A. Sothinathan, Secretary of the Provincial Ministry of Local Government; S. Sutharson, Commissioner of Local Government Northern Province and officials from the Provincial Department of Industries. Also present were Dr. R. Ketheesan, Dean of Technology at the University of Jaffna; Dr. Ganeswaran Anantharaj, Dean of Engineering; along with professors, lecturers, and members of the Northern Province Governor’s Advisory Committee.
