The Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies at the University of Kelaniya will organize its first student-led research conference in August 2026, examining Buddhist scholarship from the 19th century to present day.
The Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies (PGIPBS) at the University of Kelaniya has announced plans for a major academic gathering scheduled for August 10, 2026. The event, titled "Revisiting Buddhist Studies from the 19th Century to the Present," represents a milestone for the institution as it will be organized entirely by postgraduate students—marking the first of its kind in Sri Lanka according to the announcement.
Established in 1975 as the Vidyālankāra Institute of Buddhist Studies and formalized under a 1979 ordinance, PGIPBS has evolved significantly over five decades. The institute now offers multiple postgraduate credentials including certificates, diplomas, master's degrees, MPhil programs, and doctoral opportunities. Its student body comprises both monks and lay scholars from across Asia, North America, Europe, and beyond, with instruction available in Sinhala and English through in-person and online formats.
The conference will feature research presentations across six sub-tracks: Buddhist Textual Studies, Buddhist culture, Buddhist philosophy, Buddhist thought, Applied Buddhist Studies, and interdisciplinary work linking Buddhist studies with other fields including religions, philosophy, sustainable development, modern disciplines, and science and technology. Organizers state the conference aims to encourage critical analysis of how Buddhist Studies emerged and developed as an academic discipline over the past two centuries, while providing an international platform for postgraduate researchers to share new findings and perspectives.
