IPURSE 2023 brings researchers from all disciplines to share findings

The University of Peradeniya International Research Sessions (iPURSE 2023) was held last week. It brought together eminent researchers from all disciplines to share their research findings, exchange contemporary knowledge, and build partnerships.

The event was held at the University – with the last session on ‘Empowering SME’s in Crisis’ held at the Faculty of Management.

The annual research sessions of the University was inaugurated in 1996, and have undergone many changes over the years.

“This year, the first day of iPURSE focused on the intersections of disciplines under a single theme. Second day we had discipline-specific parallel sessions under the following sub-themes,” said Chairman of the University Research Council, Professor

Janaka Ekanayake.

The sub-themes; Business resilience in crisis, Innovations for sustainable cities and societies, Towards sustainable agricultural systems: Transforming challenges into opportunities, Managerial turn in higher education: The issues and challenges for human existence, Global health challenges and opportunities for collaboration, Scientific frontiers and overcoming challenges for sustainable transitions, were among the themes discussed.

Under these six sub-themes, they received about 400 extended abstracts, and after a rigorous review process, about 300 were selected for presentation over the two days.

The authors of these papers include foreign nationals, mainly from China and Hongkong, and other universities and research organisations within Sri Lanka.

Chief guest of iPURSE 2023, Vidyajothi Prof Chandra Wickramasinghe, an eminent scientist, astronomer, astrobiologist, co-proponent with the late Sir Fred Hoyle of the theory of cometary panspermia and a pioneer of the new science of astrobiology, joined via zoom and delivered his address.

Guest of honour Prof Arun Chockalingam from the University of Toronto, Canada talked about equitable and sustainable health for all. There were seven keynote speeches with Prof Ajith de Alwis from the University of Moratuwa delivering the plenary keynote speech.

Vice Chancellor Professor M D Lamawansa declared open the sessions.