LIRNEasia is currently looking to fill the role of a Finance Officer. The full job description is available here. The deadline for applying is 29th March 2024. The post LIRNEasia is hiring – Finance Officer appeared first on LIRNEasia.
In response to the alarming surge of information disorder affecting online platforms, LIRNEasia is exploring to provide evidence-based recommendations to policymakers on how best to equip Sri Lankan early adolescence with skills to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly. This is through a two-year research project on digital literacy among Sri Lankan adolescents aged 11 to 18. In ...
During the annual conference of the ICRIER Prosus Centre for Internet and Digital Economy (IPCIDE), which held in New Delhi on February 16, LIRNEasia CEO Helani Galpaya stressed on the need to address both demand and supply sides of internet use, advocating for education reform and digital literacy initiatives to bridge access gaps. Helani Galpaya is a member of ...
In a recent episode of “Samata IT” (IT for All) on Jathika Rupavahini, LIRNEasia’s Senior Research Manager and Data, Algorithm, and Policy Team Lead Merl Chandana shed light on the dynamic landscape of data science and how it offers ample opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds. “Data science is an evolving field which is still being developed. Therefore, there are ...
In a significant move towards modernising archival governance and promoting data accessibility, a committee appointed by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs, has been working on revising the National Archives Law No. 48 of 1973. Chaired by Nigel Nugawela, Archivist, the committee includes experts such as LIRNEasia Chair Prof. Rohan Samarajiva — who is also a former ...
In a recent interview with Face the Nation on Sirasa TV, LIRNEasia Chair Prof. Rohan Samarajiva raised his concerns regarding the Online Safety Bill which is currently under debate in the Sri Lankan Parliament. Prof. Samarajiva explained why he believes the Bill, instead of addressing the issues related to harmful online content in Sri Lanka, is fixated on punishment rather ...
Rohan Samarajiva, Tharaka Amarasinghe, and I attended a meeting with the Committee on Comprehensive Social Protection for Workers on 4 January 2024, following an invitation from the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment in Sri Lanka. Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment, Manusha Nanayakkara was present at the meeting, along with representatives from several agencies including the National Planning ...
In November last year, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court determined that the Online Safety Bill is not inconsistent with the Constitution and can be passed in parliament by a simple majority– subject to amendments made to 31 of its provisions. The second reading debate for the Bill is scheduled to take place in Parliament on January 23 and 24. In ...
LIRNEasia’s Senior Research Manager, Gayani Hurulle, recently spoke at a symposium organised by the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) titled “Poverty Alleviation in an Era of Economic Crisis.” The symposium, held in November last year, aimed at revisiting poverty-related issues, focusing on addressing the escalating poverty and vulnerability in the present crisis and beyond. Gayani, heading LIRNEasia’s work on poverty ...
In a recent interview on the Sirasa Pethikada programme, Professor Rohan Samarajiva, Chair of LIRNEasia, shed light on the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in addressing various challenges and emphasised the need for mindful use of this technology for public benefit. He began by explaining the basic concepts of AI, distinguishing between general AI and narrow AI using simple examples. ...
In a recent interview with Yarl TV, LIRNEasia Chair Prof. Rohan Samarajiva shed light on the potential impact of Sri Lanka’s new tax policy on the digital sector. The discussion extended to the taxation of multinational digital service providers like Facebook and Uber, widely used in Sri Lanka. Prof. Samarajiva emphasised the crucial role of the government in streamlining the ...
The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada recently launched a global south research network –FutureWORKS — dedicated to researching and addressing the challenges posed by the changing landscape of work across the global south. Through shared research, network consolidation, and collaboration in public policy processes, FutureWORKS seeks to foster innovation that advances skills for the future of work and ...
LIRNEasia is known for its work on ICTs, but it works on all infrastructures. Electricity is an area we’ve done considerable work in. Our work is shown here. In 2002, after years of work involving all stakeholders including those working at the Ceylon Electricity Board, new legislation was enacted so that some incentives would be created for efficiency in the ...
LIRNEasia has, over recent years, challenged the outdated and inadequate definition of computer literacy used by the Department of Census and Statistics of Sri Lanka (DCS). In a welcome move, DCS and the ICT Agency have collaborated to refine the definition of digital literacy and update assessment criteria. This decision was made by a 13-member consultative committee jointly headed ...
Last year we conducted research to explore the possibility of leveraging online job portal data for economic analysis in 13 Asia Pacific countries, as a part of a project for the Asian Development Bank. We examined the types of information available on major portals across the region, to discern the nature and format of available data. We also tested and ...
https://lirneasia.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2024-new-year-greeting-message-from-LIRNEasia-1.mp4 The post 2024 Greetings! appeared first on LIRNEasia.
Since starting at LIRNEasia a little over a year ago, I’ve been exposed to semi-frequent journal clubs and colloquia where we discuss, dissect, and analyze both our internal research findings and those of external scholars. These intellectual gatherings have helped me discover many interesting articles containing views of scholars published in various academic journals. They’ve also helped me learn to ...
LIRNEasia is pleased to issue a call for expressions of interest (EOIs) to build digital tools to strengthen pluralist, inclusive and fact-based public discourse in Sri Lanka. The detailed call for EOIs can be found here. The editable template for submissions can be accessed here. Interested parties should respond with their submissions according to the guidelines no later than 1600 hours Sri Lanka ...
LIRNEasia recently unveiled “Dissect” – a cutting-edge web tool employing advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tailored for effective fact-checking. What sets this tool apart is its compatibility with Sinhala websites, and its accessibility to anyone from anywhere in the world making fact-checking accessible to a wider audience. The web tool was beta-launched at a recent workshop hosted by LIRNEasia in ...
“Creating regulatory bodies that issue orders with short time frames backed up by large penalties is likely to shut off the opportunities for collaboration. If the costs of complying with the directions of the regulator from a small and insignificant market are excessive, the platform companies are likely to withdraw their services from Sri Lanka causing significant harm to users. ...