Marking a pivotal step in Sri Lanka’s scientific advancement, the country has established its first-ever ad-hoc committee to identify and prioritise national research needs.
According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), the main goal of this committee is to classify ongoing research across the country based on national development goals and key societal needs.
Co-chaired by Professor Gomika Udugamasooriya, Senior Advisor to the President on Science and Technology, and Professor Rohan Fernando, Chairman of the National Science and Technology Commission (NASTEC), the committee comprises 20 leading experts from diverse disciplines.
One of its key roles is to align research and development efforts across universities, research institutes, government agencies, and industries with national objectives. It will also help direct national budget allocations toward priority areas, ensuring efficient and impactful use of public funds.
For years, Sri Lanka’s R&D sector has functioned in a fragmented and uncoordinated manner, limiting its contribution to national progress. The new committee aims to fix this by creating a unified, data-driven framework for research planning.
Information from grassroots institutions to ministerial bodies will be collected through reports and surveys, the PMD said, allowing better decision-making and financial accountability in the R&D space.
