Academic members of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura are now in a partnership program in providing academic consultation services to promote effective policy making and good governance through enhanced interaction between members of parliaments (MP) of Sri Lanka and People’s Action For Free And Fair Elections (PAFFREL). This partnership programme was initiated under the Innovation, Invention and Venture Creation Council (IIVCC) of the University.

MOU between three institutes was signed with the participation of Prof. Sampath Amaratunge, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Prof. D. P. S. Chandrakumara, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prof. Shirantha Heenkenda, Co-Chairperson at the IIVCC, Mr. P.L.T. Purasinghe, Head of the Department of Political Science, Dr. Sujeewa Hettiarachchi, Convenor of the Partnership program, representatives of SL Parliament; Hon. Mr. M. Thilakaraj, Hon. Prof. Ashu Marasinghe, Hon. Mr. Tharaka Balasuriya, Mr. Rohana Hettiarachchie; Executive Director; PAFFREL and academic members.

The primary focus of the partnership is to empower human capital through capacity building. To this end, trough the partnership provides policy discussions to address current public policy issues and create a forum for policy discussion, debate, networking, and consolidation of international best practice. The University of Sri Jayewardenepur has recognized consultation as one of the most important methods by which academic members at the University can make available their academic knowledge and expertise to external organizations, including government, public sector bodies, community groups, and businesses. Cutting-edge research, objective and independent analysis and cross-or multi-disciplinary collaboration are the major benefits of engaging with Legislators in Sri Lanka.

Key areas of Academic Interventions
 At the policy level:

–     Facilitate policy dialogue between academics and policymakers
–     Conduct policy research to identify the gaps in current policies and to provide recommendations
–     Engage with policy makers to provide recommendations, based on the citizens’ needs, on necessary policy changes
–     Analyze and contribute to the public discourses on contemporary issues from the perspective of participatory democracy and governance

Reforming systems and structure

–     Create knowledge through studies and research on the models of participatory democracy at the national and international level
–     Engage with Government authorities and other actors to pilot and replicate effective models
–     Analyze the strengthens, gaps and limitations of the current systems and provide recommendations

Change in knowledge, skills, and attitudes

–     Capturing existing knowledge on contemporary policy need
–     Generation, Dissemination, and Promotion of knowledge products through appropriate media
–     Facilitate training programs and other awareness-building initiatives for communities, authorities and other stakeholders