District level closing meetings for the final phase of NPC’s Mobilising University State Engagement for Reconciliation (MUSTER) project were held with the participation of the Universities of Ruhuna and Jaffna, bringing together university academics, students and government officials representing the District Secretariat.
The discussions highlighted the social outcomes of the project, lessons learned and ideas for the future. Participants emphasised the value of collaboration between universities, government officials and civil society in addressing community issues.
“We often work with non-governmental organizations but this was a new experience for us. The students worked very closely with us and we had the opportunity to build a research-based foundation for our work. The most significant aspect is that the programme allowed students to change their misconceptions about the public sector,” a government representative from Matara said.
“As a university, we are truly pleased to have been part of this programme. It has been extremely valuable for our students, who gained both research skills and field experience. We request that similar programmes are held in the future,” said a representative from Jaffna University.
“This is our first time collaborating with a university. It was a new and enriching experience that allowed students to engage in addressing real issues within the district. We were able to work closely with NPC and better understand its vision,” a government official from Jaffna said.
A final joint meeting was held online connecting the four universities engaged in the project: Universities of Jaffna, Sabaragamuwa, Ruhuna and Eastern University. The session, which was attended by NPC’s Executive Director, Dr. Jehan Perera as well as representatives from the donor agency GIZ, focused on the project’s strengths, social outcomes of the project, lessons learned and ideas for the future.
“This project can indeed be described as very productive. Research is about creating change in society and we had the opportunity to make that positive change with the involvement of students. By combining universities and the public sector, such research can help us avoid many social problems in the future. Our society will continue to benefit from this work and we will gladly support such efforts in the years ahead,” said Ravindra Chandrasiri Palliyaguruge, Senior Lecturer at Sabaragamuwa University.
The project has shown that building bridges between universities, communities and government institutions not only enhances research but also strengthens reconciliation and social development across Sri Lanka.