The Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka has announced that six researchers from its latest cohort have won fully funded scholarships to pursue advanced degrees at prestigious universities across the UK and Canada.
Six researchers affiliated with the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) have secured postgraduate scholarships at leading international institutions, marking a significant achievement for the organization's capacity-building efforts.
The recipients include Suresh Ranasinghe, who will pursue a PhD in Economics at Nottingham Trent University beginning October 2025, and Usha Perera, who has secured funding from the UK's Economic and Social Research Council for doctoral studies at Lancaster University starting October 2026. Both scholars previously completed master's degrees at British universities on Commonwealth Shared Scholarships and have conducted research on health, labour, and education policy since returning to the IPS.
Three additional scholars will commence master's programs in September 2026. Himani Vithanage and Dinithi Athulathmudali have both been awarded Commonwealth Master's Scholarships to study Economics for Development at the University of Oxford, while Chaya Dissanayake will study Risk and Disaster Science at University College London, also as a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship recipient. Chaya's research at the IPS has focused on disaster risk preparedness.
Chandula Idirisinghe will pursue a PhD in Management at the University of Guelph in Canada on a fully funded scholarship, building on his previous master's degree in Agricultural Economics and his research interests in agricultural policy and agribusiness development.
