NLEAP conducts workshop on Research Management for the Official Languages Commission (OLC)
NLEAP recently conducted a mentoring workshop on Research Management for the OLC team. Held on the 6th of December, the training, ‘How to Conduct a Research Study Successfully’, focused on enhancing the team’s knowledge and operational capacity for effective Research Management. Warmly welcoming the participants, Mr. Michael Emblem (Project Director, NLEAP) highlighted the vital role research would play as OLC fulfilled its mandated role in safeguarding the Official Languages Policy (OLP). As Mr. D. Kalansooriya (Chairperson, OLC) noted a well-managed research strategy would not only help the OLC Team to effectively monitor the implementation of the OLP, but also serve to inform and shape future policy making on Language Rights.
The informative and practical workshop commenced with a presentation by Ms. Saama Rajakaruna (Local Gender Specialist – NLEAP) that underscored the importance of ‘Conducting a Gender Sensitive Research’. The ‘Introduction on Research’ by Ms. Malraji Wanniarachchi (Capacity Development & Governance Specialist, NLEAP) provided a broad overview of the principles guiding this all-important management discipline. Prof. Mohamed Mahesh (Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology, University of Colombo), a veteran in the field of research, firmly asserted that the significance of research lay in quality and not in quantity. His presentation on Research Methodology emphasized how designing, and adhering to, appropriate methodology throughout, would heavily impact the quality of research. Mr. Lahiru Kithalagama (Research Officer, Center for Policy Alternative), drawing on his extensive research experience, shared practical insights into some of the challenges researchers would face at the various stages of research management.
Supporting OLC to build up the operational capacity of its team to monitor and safeguard the effective implementation of the OLP is part and parcel of the Technical Assistance provided by NLEAP. Mr. Kalansooriya thanked the Government of Canada and its public for the continuous support extended to OLC through NLEAP.
