Kerala’s diaspora engagement in higher education draws interest from Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has expressed interest in studying Kerala’s diaspora-driven academic engagement model, the Scholar Connect platform, aimed at linking globally-based scholars of Indian origin with universities and colleges in the State.

The virtual interaction, held on March 6, brought together senior officials from the Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka and representatives of Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) to understand the design, governance and operational framework of the digital platform.

The meeting followed a request from Sri Lankan officials to learn about Kerala’s diaspora engagement model in higher education.

The Sri Lankan delegation was represented by Sarathanjali Manoharan and H.M.K.J.B. Gunaratne, who officiates as Senior Assistant Secretary and Senior Additional Secretary respectively to the President of Sri Lanka. They acknowledged the value of Kerala’s approach to international academic engagement and expressed interest in exploring collaborative models, considering the socio-cultural, geographical and historical similarities that exist between both sides, sources said.

The diplomats also expressed optimism that the Scholar Connect initiative could be emulated and integrated into ‘Praja Shakthi’, a flagship development programme launched by the Anura Kumara Dissanayake-led administration.

Eyeing collaboration

KSHEC vice-chairperson Rajan Gurukkal explained the objectives of the State government’s Erudite and Brain Gain initiatives, which seek to connect internationally-based scholars with institutions across Kerala. Member Secretary Rajan Varughese also presented an overview of the higher education landscape in India, and highlighted Kerala’s academic ecosystem and its emphasis on equity, quality and international collaboration.

A presentation by council programme officer (internationalisation) Eldho Mathews highlighted the architecture of the Scholar Connect platform, including its scholar-matching process, governance mechanisms and quality assurance frameworks designed to ensure effective academic collaboration.

The meeting also resolved to explore various partnerships between academic institutions in Sri Lanka and Kerala.

Over 100 scholars involved

Launched last month, the initiative has already drawn more than 100 internationally-based scholars of Indian origin. They represent 19 countries and are presently affiliated with universities and research institutions in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania, official sources point out.

The participants come from a wide range of academic disciplines such as medicine, engineering, biotechnology, public health, physics, finance and the social sciences. The initiative aims to facilitate short-term academic visits, guest lectures, joint research collaborations, curriculum development support and faculty mentoring, among other activities.