The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) successfully completed its Annual Research Sessions (OURS 2020) on 12th and 13th November as a fully online event.

The OUSL said in a media statement:

“OURS 2020 was initially planned as an ‘in-person’ event. However, when the public health situation in the country again became critical in October, the organizing committee of OURS 2020, deftly transferred the entire event online – in a short span of time – underscoring the university’s unique ability to deliver academic programs remotely. In addition to being the only university in Sri Lanka with a dedicated Centre for Education Technology and Media, the university’s academic and support staff are specifically trained in remote delivery of academic programs using a range of methods – online, television, radio and print. This combination of technical infrastructure and skilled human resources allows the institution to adapt to challenging circumstances like the current one posed by the Corona Virus pandemic.

“This year’s research sessions were conducted under the themes of: Open and Distance Learning, Humanities and Social Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Health Sciences, Education, Law, Management, Biological Sciences, Agriculture and English Language Teaching. A total of 165 submissions were received and 114 papers were selected for presentation following a process of rigorous peer review. The different thematic strands were conducted as parallel online sessions using Zoom technology which led to vibrant scholarly discussions on a range of topics. A special feature of this year’s research was the significant focus of how the pandemic has impacted education. Such research ranged from critical discussions on online and remote education to the significant inequities in education access and delivery caused by the pandemic. This emphasis on the pandemic demonstrated the commitment of academics in the Sri Lankan higher education system to address contextually significant social issues and deploy research to understand and resolve such issues. Papers were presented by Open University staff as well as staff from other state and non-state universities and higher education institutions from across the country.

“The research sessions were inaugurated with a welcome address by the Research Director of the University, Prof. Shyama Weerakoon who underscored the importance of fostering a research culture. She also appreciated the university-wide team effort that facilitated the online delivery of the research sessions. Prof. Anbahan Ariyadurai, the Vice Chancellor of the university, addressing the event, emphasized the resilience and adaptability of the institution in this challenging time.

“The Chief Guest of the research sessions was Dr. Priyanie Amarasinghe, Emeritus Scientist at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the keynote speech on the first day was delivered by Dr. Panduka Karunanayake of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo. The day-two keynote was delivered by Dr. Prathapasinghe Dharmawansa of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa. The event was live cast for the students of the university and the general public through the Open University’s YouTube channel and an electronic version of the proceedings of the research sessions will be soon available for free download from the university website.”