SLIIT is proud to announce the commencement of registrations for ROBOFEST 2026, Sri Lanka’s premier robotics competition, bringing together the nation’s brightest young innovators, engineers, technology enthusiasts, and industry professionals. Organized annually by the Faculty of Engineering SLIIT, ROBOFEST continues to serve as a platform for fostering innovation, creativity, and technical excellence among Sri Lankan youth. 

Since its inception in 2010, ROBOFEST has evolved from a university-level robotics competition into a prestigious national event that encourages participants to design, build, and program innovative robotic systems while developing practical engineering skills and technological expertise. Over the years, the competition has inspired thousands of students to pursue careers and interests in robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, and engineering. 

ROBOFEST 2026 will feature multiple competition categories catering to participants from different backgrounds and skill levels. The School Category provides young innovators with an opportunity to showcase their creativity, engineering skills, and analytical thinking through exciting robotics challenges. The University Category, featuring the popular Micro Mouse Competition, challenges undergraduate teams to develop autonomous robots capable of navigating complex maze environments with speed and precision. 

A major highlight of this year’s competition is the expansion of the Open Category with the introduction of one more advanced autonomous robotics challenge designed to address real-world engineering problems. For the first time in ROBOFEST history, participants will compete in the Autonomous Rover Competition, a challenge that requires teams to design, assemble, and program a fully autonomous ground rover capable of navigating a structured outdoor environment. The rover must detect checkpoints, avoid obstacles, generate a live map of its surroundings, and successfully return to its starting position. The competition emphasizes cutting-edge technologies and autonomous decision-making, providing participants with hands-on experience in technologies that underpin modern autonomous vehicles and intelligent robotic systems.

Following the successful introduction of the Autonomous Drone Competition in recent years, ROBOFEST 2026 will once again feature this exciting challenge as part of the Open Category. The competition has generated considerable interest among participants and continues to provide a platform for teams to demonstrate their capabilities in autonomous aerial robotics. Teams will develop fully autonomous aerial systems capable of completing a multi-stop navigation mission. The drone must autonomously take off, visit designated landing islands in a predefined sequence, avoid obstacles, remain within flight boundaries, and safely land at the finishing zone. This challenge highlights key areas of modern aerial robotics, including autonomous flight control, navigation, sensor fusion, computer vision, and intelligent mission planning. 

This version flows naturally from the rover paragraph while making it clear that the drone competition is a relatively recent addition that has continued due to its success. SLIIT recognizes that the true impact of ROBOFEST extends beyond the competition itself. As part of ROBOFEST 2026, the organizing committee will conduct a series of outreach programs and robotics workshops for school students across Sri Lanka. These initiatives are designed to introduce young learners to the exciting world of robotics, programming, electronics, and engineering design while fostering creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills. 

Through hands-on demonstrations, interactive learning activities, and practical robotics sessions, students will gain exposure to technologies that are shaping the future. The outreach programs aim to inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists, and innovators by providing opportunities to explore robotics in an engaging and accessible manner. By bringing robotics education directly to schools, ROBOFEST 2026 continues its commitment to empowering Sri Lankan youth and strengthening the country’s future STEM workforce. 

The competition also provides participants with valuable opportunities to engage with academics, industry professionals, and fellow innovators, creating an environment that promotes learning, collaboration, and technological advancement. 

Registrations for all the categories are now open and will remain open until 31st July 2026.  

With attractive prizes, exciting challenges, educational outreach programs, and opportunities to work with cutting-edge technologies, ROBOFEST 2026 is set to inspire and empower the next generation of robotics innovators while contributing to the advancement of robotics and autonomous systems in Sri Lanka. 

SLIIT invites school students, university undergraduates, industry professionals, and robotics enthusiasts from across the country to seize this opportunity to showcase their innovation, technical expertise, and passion for robotics in one of Sri Lanka’s most exciting technology competitions. 

For more information and registration details, visit www.robofest.lk 

Keep in touch with us through our social media channels: 

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/RobofestSLIIT/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robofestsliit/ 

SLIIT ROBOFEST 2026 – Inspiring Innovation, Empowering Future Robotics Leaders. 

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Gateway Colleges has once again demonstrated its strength in the sciences, with four students selected to represent Sri Lanka at the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) 2026, following outstanding performances at the 16th Sri Lankan Earth Science Olympiad Competition organised by the Geological Society of Sri Lanka.

The International Earth Science Olympiad will be held in Turin, Italy, from 20 to 27 August 2026. Hosted by the University of Turin, the eight-day competition brings together national teams from more than 40 countries for a combination of theoretical, practical, and field-based assessments covering geology, geophysics, meteorology, oceanography, terrestrial astronomy, and environmental science. Participants will also collaborate in international teams on field investigations and research projects conducted in the Alpine environment.

Selection to the Sri Lankan team was based on performance in both a written examination and a final interview. Selvendra Jathuran of Gateway College Dehiwala emerged as the overall first-place winner in the national competition. He will be joined in the Sri Lankan team by Ayodh Induwara Abeyratne, Losara Kulatunge, and Gamlathralalage Mihin Apsara, all from Gateway College Colombo.

Gateway students were also strongly represented among the country’s highest achievers overall, with several earning invitations to the final interview stage after placing within the national top fifteen. In addition to the four students selected to represent Sri Lanka, Neesha Hanarasinghe (Gateway College Dehiwala), Jasmine Angela Balasuriya (Gateway College Colombo), and Jehan Gunarathne (Gateway College Colombo) were also recognised for their excellent performances in the competition.

The fact that all the students selected to represent Sri Lanka this year come from Gateway Colleges is a noteworthy reflection of the Group’s sustained emphasis on scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and academic excellence. Their achievement is a credit not only to their talent and dedication, but also to the guidance of their teachers and the encouragement of their families throughout a demanding national selection process.

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