Ruddy-breasted Crake is an endangered species appearing in the IUCN red list. It is a shy water bird which belongs to Rallidae family.     Ruddy Crake migrates to Sri Lanka in December and leaves by March. It is uncommon and rarely seen, because of lack of the habitat and the urbanization. The Horizon team (Batch 10 undergraduates following BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology) led by senior lecturers Mr Medisha Gunawardena and Mr  Eranda Mandawala, were fortunate to spot this rare species on 11.12.2018  during their field visit to Diyasaru Biodiversity Park around Thalawathugoda. During this field visit, the undergraduates were able to expand their knowledge on Biodiversity of wet lands and importance of conserving them. It was a memorable experience for them as they were able to observe and learn about endemic and endangered flora and fauna in wetlands.

Undergraduates of Batch 5 following the B.Sc. (Hons) in Biotechnology of the Faculty of Science, conducted a Social Responsibility project, providing donations to the less fortunate children of Vishaka Pre-School situated in Karunodagama, Yatiyana, Matara. The school houses a total of 19 students which include 8 girls and 11 boys, who are all educated and looked after by a single teacher. These students were studying under numerous difficulties and lacked requirements such as stationery items and proper school bags. The team of undergraduates were able to purchase the necessary items for the children, with the aid of students, lecturers and outsiders of the campus, who provided donations to raise funds for this worthy cause.

Water bottles, pencils, school bags, story books, crayon sets and bank pass books were distributed to each and every child as the team visited the pre-school. Providing these items to the children created a brighter future for their education, and their parents were also supported, as their financial burdens were reduced. The immense joy and happiness of the children as they received their gifts could be seen in their faces. By completing this project, the group of undergraduates successfully extended their helping hand as socially responsible citizens of the country.

I am Danushika Nayomi a graduate in B.Sc. (Honors) in Biotechnology conducted by Horizon Campus in collaboration with Nilai University, Malaysia. I was fortunate to secure a first class with my commitment, proper guidance of Faculty of Science and motivation from my parents. Graduation Ceremony 2018 of Nilai University was held in 18^th August 2018. I was invited together with two of my colleagues, Tarinija Gopalakrisnan and Prisca Issac who also got First Classes to attend this grand ceremony. My other colleagues also have performed well. Mr. Ajitha Wanasinghe, CEO of Horizon Campus motivated us by joining our team. Dr. Ng Shee Ping (PhD, Head/Senior Lecturer – School of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Science and Technology) was one of the well-wishers among Nilai team who congratulated us.

At first before coming to Horizon Campus, I needed a program that cover the disciplines of science but also allow me to tailor my education to fit my professional goals. Then I found the Horizon Campus. And I recently attended the graduation ceremony held at Nilai University in Malaysia.

During the program, I have been able to further my studies within the sciences as well as acquainted with business concepts within the biotechnology industry. Our program included the basics of biology, chemistry and advanced modules like Cell and tissue culture, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Food science & Technology etc. Special feature is that it is also designed to produce graduates who have solid understanding in modules such as Entrepreneurship, Bioinformatics, Innovation & Commercialization which are required to exploit technological advances within a competitive environment. We are encouraged to exercise independence, initiative and responsibility and appreciate the need for continual professional development because of the intensity of this specialist program.

I cannot underestimate the value of this choice as it gave me confidence in my scientific ability and equipped me with skills that helped me to hit the ground running when I began my final year research project. The final year consisted of an independent in-depth research project that involved supervised research work in our modern labs. We had the opportunity to carry out techniques that are widely used in current biological science research. I carried out my research project on natural products which is related to pharmaceutical field under the mentoring and guidance of the high academically qualified supervisors. I was also able to publish my research at 4^th international conference on multidisciplinary approaches organized by University of Sri Jayawardanapura. Offering high-quality and blend of modules throughout, the degree allows us to choose a research field that reflects our individual scientific strengths and interests.

The industrial placement module in the final year gave me the opportunity to put what I have learnt into practice, giving me a better understanding of my strengths and the chance to solidify my knowledge in an industry setting. I joined SGS Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. as an intern chemical analyst where I was given the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in food, water, fertilizer and cosmetic laboratories. I enjoyed my time there a lot acquiring transferable key skills, including technical laboratory competencies, skills in teamwork and decision-making.

There are great resources and amenities available to students. There are numerous clubs and societies to get involved in. I thoroughly enjoy my time spent at Horizon Campus. I think the diverse education that I received from this flexible and engaging program has prepared me for a career in academics as well as in industrial wise.  Whether it is going into industry, pursuing further learning or branching out and going into the business world, there is always demand for Biotechnologists. So I believe that the Nilai Biotechnology program at Horizon Campus allows students to tailor their degree to their own interests giving those opportunities to select any of the option study blocks they wish. Thus the programme seeks to develop within graduates good practical, analytical and transferable skills applicable to a wide range of employment opportunities.

After successfully graduation with a first class honors, I was offered the position of Demonstrator in my own campus. Working together and sharing ideas in an open and fun environment whilst meeting some of the most amazing people, in faculty, many of whom have become close friends now. By covering the vast areas of the up and coming biotechnology industry, students can see which areas interest them most, and which don’t, and make informed decisions on where they would like their career path to go.

A group of students completing BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology conducted by Faculty of Science, Horizon Campus in collaboration with Nilai University, Malaysia, conducted a research on “The Diversity of Plants” at the Kanneliya Forest Reserve.  It is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the country. The research was conducted by Ashan Karunananda, Ravindu Annjana and Chathura Priyadarshana under the supervision of Senior Lecturer Mr.Medhisha Gunawardena and  the support of Mr.Eranda Mandawala (Senior Lecturer) and Dr. Lekha Wanasekara (Dean – Faculty of Science). An abstract was selected to be published at the Research Symposium on Wet Zone Forests organized by the Forest Department.

It was successfully presented by Ashan Karunananda (President – Nature Beyond Horizon) on the 20^th of October 2018 at BMICH. Well known researchers from overseas and Sri Lanka including Emeritus Professors graced this very productive symposium. It was a proud moment for the Campus, as the Horizon research team got highly commended for their hardwork.

Astronomy and related fields today are at the forefront of science and technology, answering fundamental question, driving innovation and contributing to technology, by constantly pushing for instruments, processes and software beyond our current capabilities. The fruits of scientific and technological development in astronomy, especially in areas such as optics and electronics, have become essential for day-to-day life, with applications such as personal computers, communication satellites, mobile phones, Global Positioning Systems, solar panels and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners. Astronomy today is also being transformed by vast quantities of observational data, models, and simulations at an ever accelerating rate, and astronomy has been an international pioneer of data enabled science. Overall Astronomy has become one of the few scientific fields that interacts directly with society, not only transcending borders, but actively promoting collaborations around the world.

As such, it is a given that stimulating astronomy education amongst a country’s youth will be of great value. In an innovative move to make this happen, Horizon Campus recently launched an Astronomy Society (HCAS) with the aim of establishing and maintaining an infrastructure that encourages learning and participation, both academically and professionally and provides an environment for their students to learn about the sun, moon, stars, planets, comets, galaxies, and other celestial bodies and develop an enthusiasm about astronomy.

The inaugural meeting of HCAS was held in early August. The ceremony was attended by the Higher Management of Horizon Campus, where office bearers were appointed followed by a guest lecture regarding cosmology.

Outlining the future plans of the society Dr. Mihira Wanninayake, Senior Lecturer and Course Director who will head the Horizon Campus Astronomy Society stated that it includes advocating and uplifting the skills of its members by offering opportunities backing up research’ work correlated with astronomy. We plan to host a wide range of astronomical events, such as Astro Night Camps, and Water Rocket Competitions. We intend to offer instruction in a wide variety of fields in Astronomy and conduct training programs for students to carry out astronomy related activities. We also aim to conduct research in the fields of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Science and produce publications with special attention to indexed journal publications as well as organizing workshops and seminars in the field(s) of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Science. Our ultimate aim is to produce youth who will drive innovation and research that facilitates the use of astronomy in addressing the challenges faced by our society in the future”.

With the changing landscape of Biotechnology presenting many challenges for both the industry and educators alike and the need of preparing today’s science undergraduates in the country for future industry opportunities in this sphere, Horizon Campus is currently on a quest of investing their capitol in equipping their lecture team, labs and facilities to help establish their campus as a powerhouse for Biotechnology education in the country.

Developing a complete ecosystem for research, education and innovation: Mr. Eranda Mandawala of the Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences at Horizon Campus, said “to prepare a knowledge-based talent pool in Biotechnology requires that we invest in competence, education and research. At the campus we are assuming a national responsibility to support the growth of specialist skills and knowledge in Biotechnology and cultivate a leading community of qualified graduates in life sciences. We will be making the campus a gathering place for creative researchers who are capable of linking academic disciplines in new ways to generate new knowledge and apply this for innovation and value creation in the field of Biotechnology.”

State-of-the-art research laboratories: With the driving mission to ensure the campus becomes one of the best resourced centre’s for Biotechnology research and education in the country, major investments have been made in state-of-the-art laboratories to conduct impact-driven molecular research that will provide researchers with insights into how to design new drug molecules to target complex health challenges such as Cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease and antimicrobial resistance.

Mandawala explained “the biomedical challenges we face today include complex disorders associated with ageing, cancer, lifestyle and drug resistance. To develop new therapies for these diseases, we need to understand the biological activities of biomolecules in a cell. The area of molecular and cell biology therefore have a great deal to offer medicine in the future. It is at the forefront of scientific discovery, unlocking the innermost secrets of the cell and developing new ways to detect and attack disease , provide a new generation of diagnostic and therapeutic agents, and play a major role in the development of new vaccines and other approaches to the control of diseases. This also represents a platform for a new industry in Sri Lanka with new jobs, products and services in the health sector and our aim is to produce the required talent for this industry.

The lab at Horizon campus has been equipped to carry out PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) testing, a technique that identifies characterizations of viral, bacterial, parasitic and fungal agents. The lab is also geared to conduct molecular research using RFLP technique together with gel electrophoresis that provide information on genetic diseases and also perform testing to analyze RNA samples to measure and compare gene expression patterns.
All of these are closely aligned with undergraduate and post-graduate teaching facilities to help provide a seamless transition for students and give them many opportunities to conduct research projects in the specialized context of molecular biology.

Industry accredited affiliations: To ensure further optimization in facilitating research ,training and knowledge creation, the campus has also affiliated with the top ranked Nilai Univeristy in Malaysia to offer two key degrees comprising of The Diploma in Biotechnology and the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biotechnology, with both courses covering a comprehensive range of subjects encompassing the applications of biochemistry, molecular biology, genetic engineering, bioinformatics and cell culture techniques for the development of new products.
Connecting Learners: Mandawala expressed “recognizing the need to strengthen education in our country in the field of molecular biology , our program integrates the laboratory and lecture components through the use of an experimental approach to learning , uniquely combining practical, hands-on training with cutting-edge research and teaching.”

“We will continue building on the research we already have, develop new ones, attract outstanding talent and train new generations of scientists in the field of molecular biology to bring value to the Biotechnology industry in the country” concluded Mandawala.