Our struggle for the future
Our country has embarked on a new journey. After a calamitous period extending back for over three decades, Sri Lanka is taking its first tentative steps to achieve social, economic and political prosperity for its people. This is a journey to make this pristine island an intellectual paradise, where the need of the hour beckons not just single individuals or institutions, but the concentrated efforts of all those who are able and willing.
An unfortunate truth needs to be observed however; for a substantial proportion of ‘academics’ or ‘researchers’, the ultimate goal of engaging in academic or research activity is to use the outcome for an academic publication or to achieve a promotion – merely individual attainments. Very few would even dream of contributing to the creation of an overarching research culture, to use new knowledge to enhance local and international efforts. While we highly appreciate the value of individual development and salute individual achievements, we argue for a collective effort at building a nation-focussed agenda on research and development (R&D), going beyond the individuals or institutions.
Accolades must be given where they are due; we see more and more dedication and efforts from the government to promote R&D. We see more and more R&D efforts taking place outside of the established university system, we see more and more collaborations between academic and industrial partners. All of these are encouraging signs of a bright future.
While we abhor self-promotion, we deservedly take pride as ‘Institute for Research & Development’ and ‘Gaveshana’ journal in our collective achievements during the last decade. We have established a nationally and internationally recognised dedicated research institution with high quality standards. We categorically do not want to squabble over our superiority among our colleagues in various other institutions, as we firmly believe that the evergreen quest for knowledge has to be a mutual effort.
We are clearly aware of our boundaries, limitations capabilities and responsibilities. Fortunately, those who toiled to establish the IRD and Gaveshana have been keenly aware of all these. Not surprisingly, the gradual social decay we see around us would inadvertently lead to few rotting apples, amongst us as well as in other institutional settings. However, we have been mostly able to weed them out from our institutional barrel in time.
While see a bright future ahead, we are constantly forging ahead in our quest for success. We are proud to acknowledge the dedicated and humble efforts of those who are with us, working towards the common goal; creation of a new generation of budding researchers, academics and intellectuals, who will form the foundation of an intellectual paradise on this golden land.
Editorial 22
