Profile

Objectives and Activities

With the objective to build up expertise in specific development-related, political and cultural issues of Sri Lanka, the branch office Colombo initiates and facilitates research cooperation between the University of Colombo (and other Sri Lankan academic institutions) and the University of Heidelberg. In particular it supports the newly established programme “Improving Capacities for Poverty Research” (IMCAP) at the University of Colombo.

Since the opening of the branch office in 1999, it has served as a pool of information and assistance for an increasing number of researchers from Heidelberg. Also scholars from other academic institutions repeatedly turn to it for advice and exchange. A DAAD exchange programme was set up in 2001 for a period of 4 years which is particularly designed to support young scholars. Besides active research, research consultation, research administration and support of the head office, the activities of the branch office include the organisation of lectures, workshops, discussion circles and publications. Besides, the branch office supplies the institute library in Heidelberg with relevant publications from Sri Lanka.

The office is embedded in an extensive network of exchange and collaboration with local academic, political and development institutes and agencies. This is evidenced by co organised programmes, joint projects and providing access to internships for students.

Thematic Focus

While topics of historical and archaeological interest and study of Pali-literature had been prominent in academic interest in Sri Lanka earlier, since the opening of this branch office most of the research topics have centred on issues of development, resource management and conflict resolution.

One of the prime projects was to conduct a youth survey on Sri Lanka. This project was funded by UNDP, Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the GTZ and was supported by the German Cultural Institute. The material was published in 2002. Other projects include “Local Governance and Conflict Management”, supported by the Berghof Foundation, and DFG funded projects on “Food Security and Conflict Management”, “Health and Urbanisation”, “Gender and Conflict”. In 2003, the branch office, in collaboration with the National Science Foundation (NSF), conducted an island-wide undergraduate research competition on “The Role of Religion in the Peace Process”

Library

The branch office has no extensive library, just a small selection of books and copies of papers in English related to the topics of concern which are available for reading in the branch office.