Education

PM Harini Amarasuriya delivers OSGA annual lecture at Oxford

Published

5 months ago

May 21, 2026

Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Harini Amarasuriya, delivered the 2026 Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA) Annual Lecture at St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, titled “The Politics of Development: Sri Lanka and Beyond.”

Addressing students, academics, and researchers, PM Amarasuriya reflected on the intersections of development, governance, and politics in Sri Lanka while situating them within broader global realities. She emphasized that development must be understood not only through policies and statistics but also through the lived experiences of people, particularly in nations recovering from economic crises and institutional challenges.

The Prime Minister highlighted women’s political participation in Sri Lanka, noting the growing involvement of women in grassroots movements and leadership spaces, while acknowledging the challenges of transforming entrenched social and political structures. She also stressed the importance of recognizing both paid and unpaid care work, noting that women’s contributions to families, communities, and the economy often remain invisible in traditional systems.

On economic recovery and social policy, PM Amarasuriya underscored that sustainable development must balance economic progress with dignity, fairness, and social well‑being. She further reflected on the relationship between governments, international development agencies, and local institutions, urging that priorities remain grounded in local realities and accountable to the people they serve.

Drawing from her experiences as a social anthropologist, activist, academic, and political leader, she discussed the challenges of translating activism into long‑term policy reforms, noting that meaningful transformation requires patience, negotiation, and sustained public engagement.

The lecture concluded with an interactive Q&A session covering governance, institutional independence, political reform, and economic recovery.

Education

University of Peradeniya Ranked 200th Most Eco-Friendly University

Published

4 weeks ago

September 27, 2026

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The University of Peradeniya has retained its position as the No. 1 university in Sri Lanka in the 2026 UI GreenMetric World University Rankings.

The rankings, released under the theme “Advancing Sustainable Campuses through Governance, Digitalization, and Integrated Performance,” place the University of Peradeniya at 200th globally among 2,016 universities from 110 countries.

The university received a score of 8,262.5 points.

The ranking reflects the university’s continued progress in maintaining an environmentally friendly and sustainable campus, implementing sustainable development initiatives and promoting environmentally responsible practices.

The University of Kelaniya and the Open University of Sri Lanka were ranked second and third respectively.

The UI GreenMetric ranking evaluates universities across several key indicators related to sustainability and environmental performance.

Education

Sri Lanka’s Graduate Youth Jobless Rate Hits 43%, Asia’s Highest

Published

4 weeks ago

September 25, 2026

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A new article published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has placed Sri Lanka’s youth employment challenge firmly in the global spotlight, warning that the country’s highly educated young people are facing one of the most difficult job markets in Asia at a time when artificial intelligence, economic uncertainty, and shifting labour market demands are transforming the world of work.

The paper, titled Graduating into Uncertainty, examines the challenges confronting a record generation of young people entering the workforce across developing economies. According to the analysis, approximately 1.2 billion young people are expected to enter labour markets in developing countries over the next decade, creating the largest youth workforce in modern history.

While the publication explores trends across Asia and other emerging economies, Sri Lanka stands out for a more troubling reason.

According to figures cited in the IMF publication, unemployment among highly educated young people in South Asia is particularly severe, with Sri Lanka recording graduate unemployment of around 43 percent, one of the highest rates highlighted in the report. The figure underscores a persistent challenge where thousands of young Sri Lankans complete higher education but struggle to secure employment matching their qualifications and expectations.

The publication notes that youth unemployment frequently affects the most educated segment of the population, reflecting a widening mismatch between university education and labour market requirements. As industries increasingly adopt new technologies, employers are demanding different skills from graduates than those traditionally taught through many academic programmes.

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Education

Hashini Arachchi Wins 16 Gold Medals At University Of Colombo Convocation

Published

1 month ago

September 10, 2026

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Dr. Hasini Rangika Epa Arachchi achieved extraordinary recognition at the University of Colombo General Convocation by receiving 16 gold medals for her exceptional academic performance in the Faculty of Medicine. Serving as the Valedictorian for her MBBS batch, Dr. Hasini obtained First Class Honours across all five academic streams, including the Final MBBS examination.

Her historic achievement culminated in her securing the first place island wide on the common merit list of MBBS graduates for medical internship appointments, alongside receiving the prestigious Professor Tilak Hettiarachchy Award for Academic Excellence.

Throughout her undergraduate career, Dr. Hasini consistently demonstrated academic mastery, regularly earning Dean’s List Awards and securing the Mitsubishi UFJ Foundation Scholarship. Beyond her clinical and academic coursework, she has actively contributed to medical scholarship through published research on mental health among pregnant women and diagnostic markers for scrub typhus.

She has presented her findings at major scientific forums, including the Sri Lanka Medical Association Annual Scientific Sessions, and continues active research in dengue and interstitial lung disease.

Her unprecedented sweep of 16 gold medals out of the 32 awarded for the entire MBBS program stands as a powerful testament to her dedication, discipline, and scholarly rigor.