The Bandaranaike Academy for Leadership & Public Policy (BALPP - www.balpp.com) is the first and premier institute in Sri Lanka, that’s renowned for enabling education and training on leadership skills with public policy as a core discipline. Beginning its second year of operations, the BALPP is now launching a new course: Executive Credential in Leadership & Public Policy - ECLPP, in October 2024 . The primary reason for commencing this particular course stems from the importance of leadership and public policy education in Sri Lanka, particularly during these challenging times.

As Sri Lanka navigates through a crisis of leadership, a crisis of political direction and governance, it needs a new generation of leaders who are equipped with futuristic knowledge, modern skill-sets within an ethical grounding and a sense of social responsibility. All these are necessary not just to emerge from today’s multiple crises and to steer the country towards a bright and prosperous future, but also to sustain the successes we manage to achieve. The ECLPP one-year, two-semester Course would target degree-holders, those with professional qualifications and also those with work experience after completing the GCE A’Level.

The ECLPP Faculty consists of about 40 expert academics and professionals from a variety of sectors connected to public policy and governance, as well as experienced trainers in leadership. The pedagogy in this course would include student-led participatory learning, case-study-based discussions, immersive learning experiences, project work, debates and quizzes, in addition to conventional lectures.

During the first Semester, students would experience a deep-dive into different types of leadership skills required to navigate diverse and difficult circumstances, as well as politics and governance, ethics and corruption, policy formulation, analysis and implementation strategies. During the second Semester, students will choose one elective where they would engage in an intensive study on a subject of their choice. The Electives would be on Economic Policy, Education Policy, Emerging Technologies & Cybersecurity, Environment & Climate Resilience, Renewable Energy policies and Health Policy.

All students will do a Capstone project after completing the second semester. BALPP will organise immersive learning experiences and internships for students, at places like the Parliament, the Presidential Secretariat, the National Museum and the BMICH Museum, National Archives etc. The website (www.balpp.com) describes details of the Course and email Aeshani Periera (aeshanip@ balpp.com) or call 0712310648 for inquiries and registration.