Professionals

CDR, a pioneer in development research

Hiran H. Senewiratne

RESEARCH: The Centre for Development Research (CDR) is one of the few institutions that provide opportunities for higher education and development research, for research students in the country, its Director Dr Wilbert Gooneratne said.

The CDR will initially focus on development research in the areas of rural, urban and regional development

 studies, disaster mitigation and management studies, social and community studies and, studies on key economic sectors. In addition to that they undertake development research work as well.

CDR will also provide consultancy and advisory services, monitoring socio-economic trends and dissemination of knowledge and information and providing facilities for research personnel in the country, he said.

Where the urban and regional development studies are concerned they are mainly concentrating on income disparities and rapid urbanisation issues in the country.

When considering Social and Community Studies they do more research work on social studies.

Further, Disaster Mitigation and Management is one of the most popular fields that they undertake with the happening of major natural and man made disasters in the country. It also conducts general macro economic sector studies for various local and international agencies, he said.

Dr Gooneratne said their Institute is open for professionals from universities to obtain their services on social and economy based research work in the country. CDR mainly undertakes high quality research on economic developments relating to Sri Lanka and in addition to that it also provides consultancy and advisory services. It also promotes research in collaboration with other local and foreign institutes, Dr Gooneratne said.

The institute welcomes young scientists to undertake research activities on Sri Lanka’s key social and economic issues. They also facilitate foreigners to do research as well, he said.

The most important aspect of CDR is that they are closely linked with private business chambers which do research work for them, he said.

They also provide and mobilise talented youth to do research work on various socio and economic activities on Sri Lanka at institutional and outer institutional levels in the country.

According to Gooneratne CDR will also undertake international research programmes on various regions including Asia and Middle-East countries on the same aspects.

CDR has 50 to 60 registered consultants and 12 senior research fellows, who are working closely with their research programmes, he said.

CDR is affiliated to the Royal Institute of Colombo and was formed two years ago to facilitate research activities in the country.