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Exploring the Metaverse: The Future of Virtual Reality

Welcome to the exciting world of the Metaverse, a virtual realm where the boundaries between the digital and physical worlds blur. As technology continues to advance, virtual reality has emerged as a transformative medium, offering us immersive experiences and new ways of interacting with digital content. The Metaverse is a virtual universe, a vast interconnected space where users can interact with each other and digital environments in real time.

A person exploring the metaverse

The metaverse has the power to transform social interactions by offering an unprecedented platform for connection and communication. With the metaverse, people can engage in virtual conferences and network with professionals globally, as well as enjoy virtual concerts with friends from different parts of the world. It breaks down geographical barriers, creating global communities and facilitating large-scale collaboration. The metaverse offers exciting opportunities for commerce and business. Virtual marketplaces provide immersive shopping experiences, enabling users to try on virtual clothing, test products, and make purchases from the comfort of their homes.

An symbolic image on e-commerce

The metaverse revolutionizes entertainment and gaming, offering a new level of immersive experiences. Gamers can explore vast virtual worlds, interact with fellow players, and engage in exciting quests and events. Beyond gaming, the it enables users to visit virtual museums, attend live performances, and even experience historical sites in a lifelike manner. The possibilities for immersive entertainment are limitless.

The metaverse has the potential to transform education through immersive and interactive learning. Students can delve into history, witness scientific phenomena, and participate in simulations that deepen their understanding of complex concepts.

As technology continues to evolve, we must embrace the opportunities offered by the metaverse while addressing the associated challenges. By doing so, we can collectively shape a future where the boundaries between the physical and virtual worlds merge, creating a truly immersive and interconnected digital landscape.

by Nisansa Adikari,

Content Writer – Showcasing Team,

AIESEC in University of Moratuwa.

• iGV, Leadership, Volunteer

Project Heartbeat 1.1: For a Healthier Society

Heartbeat 1.1, a meaningful Global Volunteer project organized by AIESEC in University of Moratuwa, brought together with the Exchange Participants Abdelrahman from Jordan and Kawther from Egypt for the impact of Sustainable Development Goal 3 to increase public consciousness regarding the prevention of non-communicable illnesses and the significance of mental well-being, ultimately to promote a healthier society.

Their arrival marked the beginning of their collaboration with The Opportunity Provider, “ADIC” Sri Lanka (Alcohol and Drug Information Centre). In this partnership, impactful awareness sessions and workshops on drug prevention were conducted at ADIC, aimed at promoting a healthier and drug-free society. The exchange participants also extended their efforts, hosting a valuable session called “Good Health Session” for undergraduates at the University of Moratuwa. This session emphasized the importance of good health and the prevention of drug abuse, coupled with a lively exercise session that left the participants both educated and interested.

As a final act of care, the Organizing Committee facilitated an Eye Check-Up event called “Visionquest” in collaboration with Vasan Eye Care Hospital, ensuring the well-being of the University community. Heartbeat 1.1 proved by act of meaningful impact on SDG 3, significantly improving awareness and preventative measures concerning non-communicable diseases and mental health.

Why SDG 3 contribute for a healthier society?

SDG by United Nations is a global agenda consisting of 17 goals aimed at addressing pressing challenges and promoting sustainable development for a better and more equitable world while SDG 3 is dedicated to “Good Health and Well-being.” It seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Despite moderate improvements in SDG 3, major challenges remain as highlighted by the Sustainable Development Report, necessitating further efforts to ensure that the goal’s targets are adequately met in the Sri Lanka.

In Sri Lanka, over 80% of fatalities are attributed to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic lung disease. Additionally, more than 25% of the population is overweight, and one in four adults engage in tobacco consumption.

According to the Sustainable Development Council of Sri Lanka, the nation’s alcohol consumption stands at 3.56 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year for individuals aged 15 years and above, as of 2020. Concurrently, the coverage of treatment interventions, encompassing pharmacological, psychosocial, rehabilitation, and aftercare services, for substance use disorders remains at 2.4% in the country.

These statistics underscore the importance of addressing substance abuse and promoting effective treatment strategies to enhance the well-being and overall health of the population. Encouraging responsible alcohol consumption and expanding accessibility to comprehensive treatment interventions will be crucial steps towards achieving a healthier and more sustainable future for Sri Lanka.

As we aim to tackle these pressing health issues, our efforts align with the broader objectives of SDG 3.4 by “Good Health Session” and 3.5 by “Visionquest”. Heartbeat 1.1 illustrates the power of youth-led initiatives in fostering positive change and progress towards SDG 3. Through their collective efforts and engagement, the event successfully improved awareness on health and well-being, actively contributing to the global mission of creating a healthier and more sustainable future for all.

by Vasuli Perera,

Content Writer – Digital Experience Team,

AIESEC in University of Moratuwa.

• AIESEC Sri Lanka, Leadership, Lifestyle, Membership, MentalHealth, Youth

Key ways to improve listening skills

Key ways to improve listening skills

Effective communication happens when the speaker rapports their information effectively to the receiving end. We all have been either a deliverer of speech or a person at the receiving end on numerous occasions. So have you been playing the role of the receiving end party well by being an effective listener? Or have you ever felt like you’ve been hearing “a lot of things” at a meeting? If it’s the latter case, don’t worry, I got you!

Listening and hearing are two different things. “Listening” is a skill you should develop to receive information effectively when communicating, whereas “Hearing” is your natural ability to identify sound stimuli. Hence, it turns out that if you’ve been hearing “a lot of things” instead of encoding information when engaging in a conversation, you should practice these strategies to be a good listener. This is because whether you are a leader or a member of a large organization, improving listening skills is a handy tool to master!

Be attentive.
Ask questions.
Request clarification.
Paraphrase.

Step 01 – Be attentive!

Sometimes, we tend to drift off to our little imaginations while talking with someone. And when the second we come back to reality, we have no sense of what’s going on! It is at this point you’ll start to hear things instead of listening. What I do is consistently maintain my interest in the conversation. That is, by carefully listening to what the speaker is saying while encoding the necessary information and not making judgements or conclusions in my head. Another important thing is eye contact, this is because when we maintain our eye contact with the speaker; it is easy to concentrate during the listening process. So do not forget to face the speaker and maintain eye contact throughout the conversation. If you are a leader, you should be attentive to what your members are saying in order to come up with better objectives, adjustments, and improvements. If you are a member of a large organization, you should always be attentive to what your colleagues and leader are saying in order to give your maximum to achieve organizational goals.

Step 02 – Ask questions

Would you like it if someone you’re talking to is just staring at you and you just kind of feel like being a radio playing audio on its own? No, nobody appreciates something like that. And that’s why we need to make sure not to put the speaker in an uncomfortable situation like that. What I do is ask questions. Ask questions which are related to the topic and make sure they are open-ended questions. You may think that asking questions is an interruption, but actually, it makes the speaker more confident to report the maximum information to you when you show him or her that you are interested. So ask questions starting with “How” “What” and “Why” to open up new sides of the topic you’re dealing with and make sure they are asked in a welcoming manner. I ask questions like “What might have caused that?” or “Why do you think that ‘s the case?” so that the speaker feels welcomed to speak more. This is a brilliant way to grab the maximum ideas of your members to come up with holistic decisions and better strategies to achieve organizational goals.

Step 03 – Request Clarification

Have you ever felt like you lost track of where the conversation is going? That is because you have missed the first step of this whole listening process; that is, being attentive to what the speaker is saying. Don’t worry, it is totally okay to be caught in a situation like that as long as you request clarification. Yes, don’t ever hesitate to request clarification from the speaker if you feel like you didn’t get it right. I always ask “Could you say that again, please?” or “Would you elaborate on that, please?” whenever I feel like I don’t get what the speaker is trying to say. This will make the speaker to be more specific and effectively communicate his or her idea. Et voilà! Effective communication happens. Thus, this is a core requirement to process with the organizational goals as it is important to make sure that the leader and members are all on the same page when working towards a common objective.

Step 04 – Paraphrase

After requesting clarification as we discussed in step three, it is important to make sure that you clearly got the idea that the speaker conveyed while also ensuring the speaker that he or she had effectively communicated his or her idea. So, how can we kill these two birds with one stone? That could be done by Paraphrasing! How I do it is by repeating the underlying idea of the speaker’s points with my own words whilst maintaining the level of formality by matching the tone of the speaker. You can start to say your paraphrase by saying “So, what you’re saying is…” or ” If I got you right, you mean that…”. This way, you can assure the speaker that you have listened to his or her speech effectively while confirming that the information has been understood precisely by you. In an organizational scenario, this should be a crucial step before wrapping up any meeting. That is because this step confirms that the discussed information has been effectively communicated among the leader and the members of the organization.

That’s it! These are the keys to make you an effective listener. Next time when you’re engaging in a conversation, ace these steps so that you won’t just hear “a lot of things” but instead actually listen and effectively encode the information delivered by the speaker.

Hashini Dissanayake

Content writer

AIESEC in University of Peradeniya

Active Listening : Hear what people are really saying

Art of Communication in Effective Leadership

Art of Communication in Effective Leadership

• AIESEC Sri Lanka, iGV, Travel, Volunteer, Youth

Cultivating change: the impact of Global Volunteers in Sri Lanka

Volunteers visiting University of Peradeniya Almost a quarter of the world volunteers globally and Sri Lanka leads this list with 46% of our national population volunteering to give back to society. The origins of volunteering come from evolution; for the longest time, human beings have depended on one another for survival. However, in psychological approaches, volunteerism translates to helping behaviour. Motives behind helping behaviour are fuelled by learning experiences and positive outcomes such as financial benefits, social recognition, or positive feelings about themselves from helping. These prosocial behaviours are battered, bruised and pushed into categories in academia. But in reality, they exist without a division, among us in our everyday things.

At AIESEC, volunteering is a way of life

Our volunteering opportunities are aligned to offer cross-cultural experiences to the participants. These opportunities are vital for the hosts as much as it is for the volunteers. For instance, in the aftermath of social turmoil, Sri Lanka was revived by the kindness of the community. The front lines, the most essential forces of change were the volunteers who picked up the slack. With the dramatic fall of our economy in 2022, the fallen spirits of our community was lifted by the volunteers who stepped up in numerous ways to uplift the lives of Sri Lankans.

Sri Lanka has also always been a nation of tourism. We are home to lush rainforests, breathtaking beaches and waterfalls, mountains and terraces – the whole package! Sri Lanka also has a rich cultural heritage, both in terms of history and flavour. Streets of Lanka are scattered with confetti like mini shops of fried goodies, refreshing fresh king coconuts to drink and trinkets of souvenirs to accompany you through your journey in Sri Lanka. Our volunteering projects at AIESEC, based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) not only offer the volunteers an excellent opportunity to enhance their personal and professional goals, but also enhance the lives of all in Sri Lanka. When executed ethically, each of these volunteer projects have the power to support and develop the community.

The Role of International Volunteers in Sri Lankan Society

Apart from its contribution to the tourism sector in adding to the Per Capita Income, the communal engagement proves to enhance a better understanding of life here in Sri Lanka, going beyond the stereotyped and polarized headlines on internet news. There is bound to be a cultivation of a positive cultural education and appreciation through the foreign volunteers who get to engage with our local community and vice versa. Volunteering provides a journey of self-exploration and cultural confluence. With the planet in danger and nature in trouble, nations are facing unprecedented complexities. The SDGs provide a framework to manage them and volunteers actively play a part in the implementation of them.

Volunteers become crucial drivers of change, actively moulding the achievement of these goals. When they involve themselves in local areas, they create a lasting link to the advancement of the country. Essentially, volunteering not only helps people grow personally but also brings about real and positive changes.

Thisandi Weerasinghe

Content Writer

AIESEC in University of Peradeniya

The Demand for Leadership in the IT Industry

In today’s rapidly evolving modern society, leadership exists everywhere, from the boardroom to the classroom to the community. Leadership plays a crucial role in any organisation’s success. As technology continues rapidly, the Information Technology (IT) industry has emerged as a powerhouse propelling businesses and societies into the future. This exponential growth of technnike air max 270 sale shop nfl jerseys custom nfl jerseys adidas ultraboost shoes sex toys online nike air jordan nike air max for sale nfl jersey for sale authentic jersey custom jerseys football adidas yeezy slide stores lovense sex toy soccer jerseys custom wig shops adidas ultraboost shoes ology and the relentless pace of innovation have created an insatiable demand for leadership within the IT sector. Today, effective leadership in IT is not merely a valuable asset but an absolute necessity.

Organisations rely on influential leaders to navigate complex challenges and capitalize on opportunities. Effective IT leadership is not just about technical expertise; it encompasses the ability to inspire, guide, and drive teams towards achieving strategic goals. As a result, there is a growing demand for IT leaders who can help organizations navigate the ever-changing IT landscape and achieve their business goals. IT leadership roles may go by designations like Tech Lead, CTO (Chief Technical Officer), CIO (Chief Information Officer), IT Project Manager and Team Leader.

Why does the Industry need IT Leaders?

One of the primary drivers of the demand for leadership in IT is the relentless pace of technological advancements. The IT industry is marked by its ever-changing landscape, where new breakthroughs and trends emerge almost daily. In this environment, organisations depend on leaders who possess a keen understanding of these advancements and the ability to harness their potential. IT leaders must navigate a maze of technologies, from application development, artificial intelligence and cloud computing to blockchain and cybersecurity. They are tasked with making informed decisions about technology adoption, determining its strategic relevance to the organization, and ensuring that it aligns with the overarching business objectives.

In parallel with the rapid pace of innovation, the complexity of IT systems has skyrocketed. Modern organizations rely on intricate development, networks, databases, and infrastructure to keep their operations running smoothly. IT leaders bear the responsibility of maintaining the reliability, security, and scalability of these complex systems. Moreover, they must anticipate potential issues and proactively implement solutions to ensure uninterrupted business operations. This level of technical proficiency and foresight is indispensable in a world where downtime or security breaches can result in severe financial and reputational damage. Also, they play a pivotal role in driving these transformations, which encompass adopting new technologies, reengineering business processes, and enhancing the customer experience. These initiatives require visionary leaders who envision the digital future, mobilize their teams, and orchestrate the technological changes needed for success.

In addition to the technical aspects, IT leaders are tasked with talent management, a crucial facet of leadership in the industry. Attracting and retaining skilled IT professionals is a significant challenge, and effective leaders are essential for these efforts. IT leaders must create a work culture that fosters innovation, continuous learning, and collaboration. They are responsible for recruiting and nurturing talent within their organizations, ensuring that their teams possess the skills and knowledge required to meet the demands of the digital age.

How to become a Leader in IT?

IT leaders need to have a wide range of skills and experience. They need to be able to understand the business needs of their organisation, as well as the technical aspects of IT. They also need to be able to motivate and inspire their team members and to make decisions that are in the organization’s best interests. Some of the most critical skills for IT leaders include technical expertise, strategic thinking, communication, human resource management, Business understanding, and problem-solving skills. IT leaders need to be able to think strategically about the future of IT and how it can be used to help their organization achieve its goals. They need to understand the business side of things in order to make informed decisions about IT investments and initiatives. And the need to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences and solve problems quickly and efficiently. To lead, it is essential to have a strong understanding of the technical aspects of IT, such as development, networking, security, and cloud computing.

If you are interested in a career in IT leadership, there are a few things you can do to prepare. First, pursue a strong education in Information Technology. You can do this by earning a degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field. Second, gain experience in the IT industry. You can do this by working as an IT project manager, IT analyst, systems engineer, or other IT professional. Finally, develop your leadership skills. You can do this by taking leadership courses, participating in leadership development organizations, or volunteering for leadership positions in your community.

By Ashan Dimantha Herath

OEVP Brand

AIESEC in NSBM

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