Taking a decisive step toward aligning Sri Lanka’s research culture with international standards, the Centre of Excellence for Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) was officially established at the Eastern University of Sri Lanka on the 12th. This milestone was achieved under the DIGIPATHS Project — funded by the NIHR and led by Principal Investigator Professor Krish Nirantharakumar, Professor of Health Data Science and Public Health at the University of Birmingham, and Professor S. Kumaran of the University of Jaffna, who serves as the Local Principal Investigator leading the project’s operations in Sri Lanka. The establishment of this unique centre was further supported by the guidance and expertise of the Institute for Research and Development (IRD) in Health and Social Care and its Director, Research Scientist Professor Athula Sumathipala.
During the ceremony, the IRD team shared 25 years of experience gained through massive projects such as the Sri Lankan Twin Registry. Examples were presented on how the Sri Lankan community was integrated into world-class research conducted in collaboration with international funding bodies such as the Medical Research Council (MRC UK), Wellcome Trust, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR-UK).
NIHR Collaboration and Ongoing Projects
Special attention was given to community-based research projects implemented across Sri Lanka with financial support from the UK’s NIHR. Details regarding several key projects involving direct contribution from the IRD were revealed:
ENHANCE and TRANSLATE (Galle): These are leading projects opening new pathways in the country’s health research sector.
ECLIPSE Project: Conducted by the Faculty of Medicine, Rajarata University, under the leadership of Professors Suneth and Thilini Agampodi in collaboration with Keele University (UK). Professor Athula Sumathipala actively contributed as a co-applicant to this research focused on Leishmaniasis.
NAMASTE Project: Led by Specialists Dr. Asiri Hewamalage and Dr. Dilini Vipulaguna, this project focuses on research and raising community awareness regarding conditions such as Autism.
A New Dimension in Research: Community Engagement (CEI)
The IRD consistently emphasizes that research is not confined to a laboratory; the active participation of the community is essential. Through this new CEI established at the Eastern University—under the leadership of Professor Kumaran and the University of Jaffna—it is expected to involve the community in every step of future research, from planning to data analysis. Information regarding eight projects currently being implemented through research grants provided by the NIHR-UK was also shared during the event.
– IRD Media Division
