SRI LANKA PLANS ICSU NATIONAL COMMITTEE
The National Science Foundation (NSF) of Sri Lanka moves ahead in its plans to establish a National Committee of ICSU in Sri Lanka . The Hon. Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Tissa Vitarana, launched the NSF initiated Workshop to Establish an ICSU National Committee in Colombo on Friday 10 August 2007.
In his speech the Hon. Minister stressed the importance of keeping abreast with the growth of knowledge. He said that all countries should have policies that will create an environment conducive for research, and that science will benefit the country as a whole. He was confident that the programmes arising from the establishment of the ICSU National Committee in Sri Lanka will benefit the people of Sri Lanka , and hopes that these benefits will reach people in the rural areas of Sri Lanka .
The NSF has been a member of ICSU since 1972. It represents more than 30 scientific bodies and institutions in Sri Lanka . The Executive Director of the NSF said that through ICSU the scientists of Sri Lanka will be able to contribute towards national development through regional participation.
Participants of the workshop were strongly supportive of ICSU plans to enhance the science-policy interface. They felt that evidence-based policy-making was crucial for development in Sri Lanka and that policy-makers should be involved with science. Many participants contributed to the discussion on this and there was no doubt that evidence-based policy-making was of high priority and needs to be promoted at all levels of government in Sri Lanka . Participants also foresaw that the National Committee will provide a mechanism by which scientists from diverse fields can come together.
The Workshop endorsed the formation of the ICSU National Committee with the NSF as the coordinating body for the initiative. An Interim ICSU National Committee consisting of eight scientists was formed at the end of the Workshop (see list below). This Committee will draft an initial Terms of Reference for the ICSU National Committee and develop required initial guidelines for its operations. This will have at its core, the interests of Sri Lanka in relation to the ICSU mandate (see ICSU Strategic Plan 2006 – 2011 ). It is anticipated that the National Committee will be established before the end of 2007.
Members of the Interim Committee to establish the ICSU National Committee in Sri Lanka
Dr M.C.N. Jayasuriya, Director National Science Foundation
Prof. Tuley De Silva, resident Pharmaceutical Society of Sri Lanka
Eng D. B. J. Ranatunga, Chairman National Engineering Research & Development Centre for Sri Lanka
Dr Frank Niranjan, Senior Research Officer Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research Policy
Prof. Nalini Rathnasiri, Chairman National Science & Technology Commission
Prof. Sam Karunaratne, Chairman Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT)
Dr Ruvaiz Haniffa, Public Relations Officer Sri Lanka Medical Association
Dr Nalin Wickramanayake, Dept. of Civil Engineering Open University of Sri Lanka
