Sri Lankan students and working professionals will be able to earn degrees from Germany’s state-recognised Tomorrow University of Applied Sciences while building real-world work experience in Colombo, following a new partnership between AI Academy and the Berlin-based university.
Two Tomorrow University-awarded qualifications, a BSc in Applied AI and an MBA in AI & Technological Transformation, will be offered through AI Academy’s local incubator model as part of the partnership, which will be announced at a press conference at Hatch on August 24. The model is designed around a simple proposition: a job and a degree at the same time, from day one.
AI Academy students will work on paid, real briefs for Sri Lankan and international companies from the beginning of their studies, rather than regarding education and employment as separate stages. While pursuing a full university degree, they will develop portfolios, obtain real-world experience, and apply what they learn to real business challenges.
Through the partnership, Sri Lankan students can obtain a German higher education degree without having to move abroad. Under the State of Hesse, Tomorrow University is a private institution in Germany with state recognition. Its MBA programmes are accredited by the German Accreditation Council via ACQUIN, while its Bachelor’s programmes are accredited by FIBAA and recognized internationally.
While Tomorrow University’s MBA in AI & Technological Transformation is intended for professionals looking to integrate business leadership with AI and technological capabilities, the BSc in Applied AI is focused on applied learning. Both support the universities’ focus on applying knowledge to real-world problems and challenge-based learning.
Linda Speldewinde, Founder, AI Academy, said. “At AOD, we didn’t just teach design — we sent Sri Lankan designers out into the world and they are now building names for themselves internationally, going head-to-head with graduates from the best design schools globally. That happened because we approached design education differently: real work, real clients, real stakes, rooted in impact, from day one. AI Academy is built on that exact same conviction, now applied to a field that’s transforming every industry. It shouldn’t be required for students to choose between earning, learning, and creating something of their own. From Colombo, they should be able to accomplish all three.”
Through challenges and placements in industries like technology and startups, apparel, tea, tourism, logistics, and government, the work-study approach will also put students in close contact with industry. Giving partner companies early access to applied AI businesses created with students and professors is the foundation of AI Academy’s existing model, which creates chances for engagement throughout the students’ education.
The model provides an alternative to the customary decision between studying abroad and obtaining a traditional local degree for school leavers and their parents. Students have access to international peers, faculty, and a German university qualification while staying in Sri Lanka, with Tomorrow University.
The MBA is structured for professionals who are aware that quitting their job to pursue their education is frequently not an option. Instead, professionals can stay involved in their careers while developing new AI and technological capabilities.
Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, who will deliver the keynote at the event, said, “The next stage of Sri Lanka’s industrial and economic development will depend not only on the number of qualified individuals but also on what they can accomplish with their qualifications. People that can work with technology, understand problems, and turn knowledge into value are needed in the industry. Therefore, the country’s skills and entrepreneurship agenda depends on educational models that bring learning closer to real enterprise.”
A shared approach to education is another foundation of the partnership. Both AI Academy and Tomorrow University independently came to the same conclusion: when education is challenge-based, work-integrated, and supported by an environment where ideas can be tested and developed, students are better prepared for an AI-native economy.
Christian Rebernik, Founder, Tomorrow University of Applied Sciences, said, “The future of employment and education are inextricably connected. Since AI is already altering how organisations function, students need to be able to apply technology to complex and changing situations in addition to having a basic understanding of it. That belief is reflected in our partnership with AI Academy. While the work surrounding the degree allows students a place to test, question, and build, the degree itself provides the academic foundation.”
Lin Gong Deutschmann, Connector, ToU-AOD, helped the connection between the two institutions by recognising that, despite their independent development, AI Academy and Tomorrow University were pursuing closely related educational models.
Lin Gong Deutschmann stated, “What struck me was not that two institutions wanted to collaborate. It was that they were already asking almost the same question before they met: what if education was built around the problems people actually need to solve? Once that became clear, the partnership felt less like creating something new and more like bringing two existing ideas together.”
In addition to developing future intrapreneurs who can spearhead change within established organisations, the incubator model will allow aspiring entrepreneurs to develop and test ideas with assistance from mentors and industry. Students will also be in charge of planning and delivering AI Academy’s yearly APEX Summit, which will allow them to showcase their work to industry, employers, and investors.
Every graduate will be required to design and carry out an AI project that addresses an underserved community as part of an additional programme component that connects technical and business learning with a practical social outcome.
Jeevan Gnanam, Independent Industry Voice and Technology Entrepreneur, said, “More graduates who have only learned technology in theory are not needed by Sri Lankan industry. It requires people who have previously had to work with a client, solve a challenging problem, make decisions, and live with the outcome. If this model delivers that experience alongside a recognised degree, the graduate entering the workplace is fundamentally different from someone carrying only a transcript.”
The launch coincides with AI’s expansion outside of the technology industry into sectors including manufacturing, apparel, tourism, logistics, agriculture and services. Therefore, the model of AI Academy is designed for professionals and students who wish to learn how to deal with AI, regardless of whether they plan to pursue a career in technology.
While the local incubator model offers the industry and entrepreneurial context, the partnership will provide students with access to an international learning environment from Colombo, including international faculty and peers.
The BSc in Applied AI and MBA in AI & Technological Transformation will therefore not position education as a pause before a career begins. The career begins with the degree.
The message is simple: study globally, work from day one, and build what comes next, from Colombo.
Image Caption – Left to Right – Hon. Chaturanga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister Industry and Entrepreneurship Development ,Lin Gong-Deutschmann, Advisor AI Academy & Tomorrow University, AI & Tech Angel Investor,Dr. Linda Speldewinde, Founder & Chairperson, AI Academy & AOD South Asia group of companies ,Christian Rebernik, Founder & CEO, Tomorrow University of Applied Sciences, Tech Entrepreneur ,Jeevan Gnanam, Serial Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, Data Scientist
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