A milestone in industry – academia collaboration was reached recently when Teejay Lanka PLC extended its partnership with the University of Moratuwa for two more years, a period that will encompass the 10th anniversary of the relationship.
The decade-long collaboration between the Sri Lanka’s first multinational textile manufacturer and the country’s largest provider of manpower training for the textile and clothing industry has led to closer integration of curricula with industry needs and the growth of the annual Graduation Fashion Show of the University’s Department of Textile and Clothing Technology into a mega event. Notably, Teejay’s designers are all graduates of Fashion Design from the University of Moratuwa.
Under the terms of the extended Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations, Teejay will continue to provide industrial placements and fostering schemes for Fashion Design and Product Development and Textile Engineering students of the University, and facilitate short-term industry placements for foreign students affiliated to the University through academic linkage programmes.
Teejay will also provide knit fabric, yarn samples and hangers, free of charge, to the University of Moratuwa for education purposes. Additionally, as customary, the company will sponsor the Annual Graduation Fashion Show of the graduates of the Bachelor of Design in Fashion Design and Product Development. The event is a platform for batches of final-year students to showcase their innovative collections of apparel lines and win awards.
In a move to create a batch of students who are career-ready, Teejay will also hold workshops on general management, career development, marketing and business strategy development, leadership, sustainability and textile, cost analysis and basic finance, branding, and other industry-specific topics and personal development goals for these students.
In return, the University will extend its knowledge and support to strengthen in-house design and technical expertise of Teejay through a series of workshops that will focus on a wide range of co-current industry topics while acting as advisors to the company to develop new products for identified clientele. The university will also provide insights on fashion trends, sustainable fashion, and cost and waste reduction as well as expertise on developing range plans, mood boards, designing, innovative testing methods, research on fabric and future-fabric manufacture and development methodologies.
Furthermore, the university has agreed to release members of its staff for limited periods, to be employed by Teejay to further strengthen the partnership.
Commenting on the longstanding relationship between the organisations, Teejay Lanka CEO Mr Pubudu De Silva said: “This partnership has contributed towards shaping the futures of students interested in the apparel and textile sectors, through the provision of professional guidance and practical exposure to business practices. Teejay Group’s journey thus far is one of inclusive growth and constant innovation. As the first knit fabric provider in South Asia with manufacturing facilities in India and Sri Lanka, we are conscious of our role in driving the industry forward and enriching the businesses of our customers, suppliers and diverse stakeholders. This MoU is an important element of this mission.”
Teejay Lanka was the first textile manufacturer in Sri Lanka to receive membership of the US Cotton Trust Protocol, and is a public quoted company with 40 per cent public ownership. The company is backed by Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter Brandix Lanka which has a 32 per cent stake. Pacific Textiles of Hong Kong, whose key shareholder is the Tokyo Stock Exchange listed Toray Industries Inc., owns 27 per cent of Teejay Lanka.
The Company has been adjudged the Best Textile Exporter in Sri Lanka at the Presidential Export Awards presented by the Export Development Board (EDB) and has been named among the 100 Most Respected Companies in Sri Lanka by LMD.
An ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and OHSAS 18001:2007 compliant company and the first in the industry to develop green fabric, Teejay has been listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) since 2011 and was included in the S&P Top 20 Index in Sri Lanka. The Company has also been named among the Forbes ‘200 Best under a Billion in Asia’ and been recognised as the ‘International Textile Firm of the Year’ and the ‘International Dyer and Finisher’ by World Textile Institute, London.