CaNSLA to foster education collaboration

The Canadian Network of Sri Lankan Academics (CaNSLA) was launched on Friday.

CaNSLA will be part of the global framework of the Federation of Sri Lankan International Academic Network (F-SLIAN), under the patronage of state minister for Higher Education Dr Suren Raghavan, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Canada Harsha Kumara Navaratne, and officials from the Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa.

CaNSLA will be a not-for-profit, nonpartisan and independent network registered under the Canada Not for Profit Corporation Act.

A joint press release by the Sri Lanka High commission in Canada and CaNSLA said it “will significantly strengthen the ties between the Sri Lankan and Canadian Academic Communities of Sri Lankan heritage.”

The interim committee and a few other academics in Canada, through consultation, have developed a set of primary objectives, membership categories, structure, and by-laws with legal inputs and are working on registering the organisation under Canadian jurisdiction.

Among the objectives are: Fostering academic collaboration and exchange:

Establishing and enhancing collaborative relationships between Canadian and Sri Lankan institutions, promoting knowledge exchange, academic staff mobility, and establishing dual and joint academic programmes.

Supporting Sri Lankan academics and students:

Providing guidance and mentorship to Sri Lankan academics and students, facilitating their understanding of emerging academic areas of interest, encouraging promising students to pursue graduate studies in Canada, and aiding in developing pedagogical material.

Enhancing research opportunities: Creating joint research projects and collaborations in mutually beneficial areas to advance Sri Lankan universities’ research culture and academic outputs in creating better international visibility.

Building international academic networks: Developing joint projects and research initiatives involving Sri Lankan academics globally, fostering a diverse and collaborative academic network.

Supporting Sri Lankan students in Canada: To provide guidance, mentorship, and support to

Sri Lankan students studying in Canadian universities, helping them to navigate academic challenges and integrate into the Canadian educational system.

Membership in CaNSLA is open to individuals of Sri Lankan heritage (origin or descent) regardless of their citizenship status in Canada, as long as they reside in Canada and are attached to a Canadian post-secondary institution under different categories that include: academic members (academic staff, professors emeritus, adjunct and clinical professors), associate members (post-doctoral and research fellows and university staff with academic, administrative and research roles, sessional instructors) and student members (PhD students).

So far over 115 Canadian academics of Sri Lankan origin have expressed interest in joining CaNSLA.