Comments on: A word from an academic to the new Government

By: puniselva

puniselva — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 16:17:00 +0000

In reply to puniselva. Hope the academics will wake up from their slumber: ''The best the academics can do is to publish our findings'' Rajapakses have been the most unpatriotic(impeding local researchers from finding solutions for local problems) but used the word ''patriotism'' to vilify their critics/opponents incessantly. The very fact that they got only marginally less votes than UNF says that voters are well-camouflaged from the truth about the Rajapakses. It's very urgent that this article(and many more recent articles from other academics in other websites too) is translated into Sinhala and widely distributed - otherwise Rajapakses are cunning enough to topple over the UNF soon and trample the budding Good Governance. It's already dreadful that UPFA has brought in thugs defeated in the recent election into ''National List''.

By: r.s.p

r.s.p — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 01:35:00 +0000

Very well said.I am also an academic and have published widely and obtained the promotions ans salary increases that go with publications .Nevertheless, I strongly disagree with his recommendation the those who do research and publish should get preference over those who “only teach”.The latter is as important as doing research and all academics should be given the same remuneration.Those who opt to spend their time in research are doing so bec. the work itself is — should be — rewarding in itself.

By: puniselva

puniselva — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 12:22:00 +0000

There is another good posting by another academic, Prof Kumarage, in colombotelegraph.org – the parliametarians and the public badly need lessons from the academics, ie they must be on their toes, to keep all of us on toes in our journey to change our political culture to embrace Good Governance.

By: puniselva

puniselva — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 07:34:00 +0000

1.Author tried to contribute towards humanitarian demining by coming back to work in the country = patriotism
2.Rajapakse regime was impediment to improve *demining in the North = racism
3.Basil Rajapakse(Mr 10%) okayed import of ”very expensive” items = corruption
(*offer of demining in2009 by foreign bodies was declined and very slow demining is still going on)

By: puniselva

puniselva — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 12:08:00 +0000

Thrishantha-cum- Kenneth have given an urgent lesson for our academics in an excellent way.

By: puniselva

puniselva — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:43:00 +0000

In reply to Kenneth Bush.

Kenneth, thank you.
This is honey to the ears for those who are still waiting for post-war recovery and, more generally, social, economic, and political development.

This reminds me of the former French Ambassador’s speech at Peradeniya University Research Sessions(PURSE) in 2010:
”After almost 30 years of conflict, it also has to rebuild a Nation, a Sri Lankan Nation united in its diversity, where communities and individuals feel at ease. For this, there is not much foreign friends can do. This is the responsibility of Sri Lankan people, their political leadership, in the government and in the opposition, and also their civil society, and this is where academics and researchers have an important role to play, particularly those who are working in the fields of history, law, economy, sociology and political sciences.”

The academics like the rest of the citizenry were muffled by the previous regime nearly for a decade. But a few voices of concern never died down. Hope there will be choruses by the academics for a rapid change in political culture.

By: Kenneth Bush

Kenneth Bush — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 07:33:00 +0000

Thrishantha, thank you for emphasising the central importance of universities in processes of post-war recovery and, more generally, social, economic, and political development. Despite the challenges that you accurately describe, i think that we would agree that the intellectual and academic communities of Sri Lanka (university-based and non-university-based) have been essential conduits to the global epistemic community, over the past three decades. The nature of these challenges are known to all those engaged in Sri Lanka over this period of time. I agree with your suggestions, and believe that under the right conditions they would increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and independence of academics in Sri Lanka. Like you, i reside in a UK university. It seems to me that from the privileged positions we occupy, we have opportunities to contribute substantively to the strengthening of the Sri Lankan Higher Education in a wide variety of ways — by deepening formal, bilateral, institutional linkages between UK and SL universities; by building genuine research collaborations between the UK and SL through jointly drafted proposals; by building strategic partnerships with networks of universities around the world (such as the Newton Fund, http://www.britishcouncil.org/education/science/current-opportunities/institutional-links-newton-2015-july and various schemes with DFID and the British Council); through Sri Lanka-targeted student recruitment; through faculty exchanges; and many many more modalities. The challenge for Sri Lankan academics will be to ensure that whatever relationships are formalised with foreign universities/ academics, that they are relevant and appropriate for their needs and realities — and most importantly, that they are full and genuine partners in the process. Such initiatives would complement your proposals, and may help to support the changes that you are suggesting. Thank you again, for your piece. (Kenneth Bush)

By: puniselva

puniselva — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 06:22:00 +0000

Thank you, Thrishantha for writing this.
All new parliamentarians, please note this – a free lesson in Good Governance.