Curtin University Colombo, Sri Lanka’s only institution affiliated to a top 1% globally ranked Australian university, continues to redefine higher education integrating industry collaboration into its curriculum. A recent visit by final-year Computing students to Aeturnum Lanka (Pvt) Ltd highlighted this commitment, showcasing an AI-powered HR chatbot developed as part of their capstone project, and also based on a direct response to the company’s operational needs.
The collaboration with Aeturnum, a leading technology solutions provider, highlights Curtin University Colombo’s focus on equipping students with industry relevant skills through the Computing Capstone Module (CCP). Industry partnerships form a cornerstone of Curtin University Colombo’s pathways towards education excellence. The module challenges students to solve industry problems using cutting-edge tools, mirroring workplace environments.
The AI chatbot project, designed to streamline HR operations, enables employees to retrieve role-specific information instantly from company documents via natural language processing. Integrated with Microsoft SharePoint and Office 365, the solution ensures secure, role-based access while reducing manual effort—a testament to the students’ technical expertise and innovation.
Applying theory to meets industry needs, the chatbot addressed Aeturnum’s need for efficient HR query resolution, scanning and summarizing documents stored in SharePoint. Students applied agile methodologies, version control systems, and AI frameworks to deliver a web-based solution with enterprise-grade security.
Curtin University Colombo firmly believes that partnerships with firms such as Aeturnum ensure students tackle live projects, building portfolios that attract employers. In addition the CCP module emphasizes agile practices, collaborative coding, and client management, skills critical to Sri Lanka’s booming IT sector and in creating future-ready graduates.
The student innovators that formed the project team included, Nesith Hesara Nethmitha Liyanage, Yasith Devanga Dharmasena, Sahiru Elvitigala, Leon Patterson, and Fathima Ahamed. They were supervised by Ms. Geethanjali Wimalaratne and Mr. Tharindu Dharmasena from Curtin University Colombo. The group’s work has set a benchmark for future capstone collaborations.
The students received industry mentorship and guidance from Aeturnum’s tech leaders, including Kushan Yapa, Director of Engineering and Lasitha Weerasinghe, Chief Software Architect, Chandana Wijesuriya, Senior Project Manager and Learning Excellence Manager and Priyal Fernando, Software Architect, ensuring alignment with corporate standards.
