Sri Lanka is quietly emerging as a force in global research, leveraging international collaborations, scientific innovation, and targeted academic investment to elevate its standing on the world stage. As universities intensify their focus on impactful research output, the country is becoming a noteworthy contributor to the global knowledge economy.
Sri Lanka’s Investment in Research and Development
In 2022, Sri Lanka allocated Rs. 25,280.70 million to Research and Development (R&D), representing 0.10% of its GDP. The business sector led this investment, accounting for 41.59% of the Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD), followed by higher education institutions (28.26%) and government research bodies (27.22%).
A majority of these funds—55.33%—supported applied research, underscoring a national focus on innovation and real-world problem-solving. Experimental development (30.33%) and basic research (14.34%) received smaller shares. Engineering and Technology (34.09%), Agricultural Sciences (27.89%), and Natural Sciences (17.09%) emerged as the most funded disciplines.
The country employed 6,269 researchers, equivalent to 2,151 full-time researchers or 96.97 full-time equivalents (FTEs) per million people. In terms of innovation, 190 patents were filed, of which 110 were international applications.
Surging Scholarly Output
Sri Lanka is witnessing significant growth in academic productivity. From 2019 to 2024, over 23,500 scholarly publications were recorded in leading multidisciplinary indexed database among the scholars. Notably, 46.4% of these were open-access, enhancing global visibility. More than 25,000 authors contributed to these outputs, which collectively earned 265,835 citations—averaging 11.3 citations per publication. This data positions Sri Lanka as a rising research hub in South Asia, with strong engagement in applied sciences, technology, and environmental disciplines.
Engineering (25.9%), Computer Science (22.7%), and Medicine (23.3%) topped the list of research disciplines, reflecting national priorities in infrastructure, digital innovation, and healthcare. Environmental Science (16.1%) and Agricultural & Biological Sciences (14%) demonstrated a deepening commitment to sustainability and biodiversity.
Social Sciences (14%) and Decision Sciences (9.6%) indicated growing attention to societal and policy research. Other notable contributions included Physics & Astronomy (8.6%), Materials Science (8.0%), Energy (7.3%), and Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology (7.5%).
Between 2019 and 2024, Sri Lankan universities have demonstrated varied contributions across key research areas, including engineering, medicine, environmental science, social sciences, and computer science. Engineering stands out as the most dominant field, particularly in a few institutions, while medicine also shows significant output concentrated in select universities. Environmental science and computer science display moderate yet focused research contributions, with some universities showing strong publication counts and others maintaining lower levels of output. Social sciences reflect a relatively balanced distribution across institutions, although with generally fewer publications. The accompanying FWCI (Field-Weighted Citation Impact) scores suggest that high research volume does not always correlate with high impact, highlighting the importance of research quality and influence alongside quantity in shaping Sri Lanka’s academic research landscape.
Global Impact and Research Prominence
Sri Lanka’s research is gaining traction in globally critical areas. The topic “Microplastics, Water Pollutants, and Environmental Monitoring” achieved a 100% global prominence percentile and a Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) of 3.00—three times the world average.
Similarly, research on “Adsorption, Heavy Metals, and Biochar” (FWCI 2.58) and “Hadron, Lepton, and the Standard Model” (FWCI 2.51) reflects the country’s growing authority in both environmental science and theoretical physics.
Studies on “Sustainable Development, Environmental Impact Assessment, and the Circular Economy” also ranked high in global relevance, with a FWCI of 1.73.
Collaboration has been key to Sri Lanka’s research momentum. From 2019 to 2024, 50.6% of the country’s publications involved international partners, resulting in an impressive FWCI of 2.12. National and institutional collaborations, however, had lower impact scores (0.69 and 0.70, respectively). Corporate-academic collaborations were rare (1.7%) but highly impactful, with a remarkable FWCI of 15.29. One among the state university led in international collaborations (78.8%), while the national level institution excelled in institutional partnerships (65.6%).
A Strategic Path Forward
“We are witnessing a research renaissance,” said Dr. A. Silva, a senior researcher at the University of Colombo. “Our collaborations are now reaching corners of the world that were once out of reach.” Sri Lanka’s evolving research landscape shows strong alignment with global academic priorities. The nation’s focus on quality over quantity, enhanced by open access and international networks, is yielding global recognition.
To sustain this momentum, the country must continue to strategically invest in R&D, foster innovation, and actively promote cross-sectorial partnerships. Academic-corporate collaboration, though underutilized, holds immense potential for real-world impact.
Toward a Globally Respected Knowledge Hub
Sri Lanka is not just producing more research—it is producing better research. As universities refine their strategies and deepen global ties, the nation stands .poised to transform into a recognized center of academic excellence.
With deliberate planning, continued investment, and a commitment to collaboration, Sri Lanka can strengthen its reputation as a dynamic and influential contributor to global science and scholarship.
By
Mrs. T.Janen, Senior Assistant Librarian, University of Jaffna
Dr. W. J. Jeyaraj, Librarian, Eastern University of Sri Lanka
Mrs. Kusala Sajeewani, Assistant Librarian, Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine.
