'Lanka should boost innovation and science education'

The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute, released its findings from the seminar 'Unleash Your Mind for Tomorrow: Spurring the Growth of Innovation in Sri Lanka', recently. Senior Minister for Scientific Affairs Prof. Tissa Vitharana was also present.

The Executive Director of the Institute, Asanga Abeyagoonasekera said, "Sri Lanka which was ranked at the 69th place in the Global Information Technology Report in 2013, has been placed in the 76th place in 2014. "Our position has declined seven places. This is not a positive sign. It means that we have been unable to cope with present trends."

The Kadirgamar Institute as a multi-disciplinary think tank will continue its initiative to make society aware of the importance of innovation.

A Research Associate at the Institute, Ms. Chulanee Attanayake, presented the findings of this report. It focused on the situation in Sri Lanka with regard to problems in the innovation ecosystem, shortcomings and the way forward. The most prominent issue identified was the low priority given to research and development, and innovation.

Expenditure for R and D is less than two percent as a result there is no adequate infrastructure to carry out research.

Despite the fact that the present world economy is knowledge driven and high-tech industry based, Sri Lanka still focuses on low-tech industry and importing raw material.

The report also highlighted the shortcomings in the education system. The education system does not promote scientific thinking and the undergraduates are not encouraged to take the risk of starting their own enterprise.

The lack of safety networks to encourage innovators and entrepreneurs have prevented them from taking risks of doing something new.

Most of the innovations die at the initial stage due to the lack of financial capital to develop the products for commercialisation.

The report also identifies society and the media for discouraging innovation.

As some speakers pointed out innovations are not popular topics in the mainstream media.

The media can play a more significant and positive role to inform society about the need for innovation.

Research Assistant Archana Heenpella introduced the 'Innovation Laboratory' which is a space for innovators to share their ideas and display their innovations.

"The Institute will partner with Internews to carry out this project. Google Sri Lanka too has shown interest in this initiative.

"We welcome support from all interested stakeholders," she said.

Prof. Vitharana said the report is a valuable document for the Government in general and for the Ministry for Scientific Affairs and the Coordinating Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (COSTI) in particular whose mandate covers the coordination of various ministries and research institutes.

"The crux of this is to learn from other countries.

"The developed countries came out of poverty by making the maximum use of science and technology," said the Minister.

The Minister said that Sri Lanka's high-tech exports are less than 1.5% as opposed to the high-tech exports from countries such as Japan (85%), Korea (70%), Singapore (60%) and Thailand (30%).