Centre for Environmental Studies & Sustainable Development

Welcome to CESSD

The Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CESSD) at the Open University of Sri Lanka is established in 2015 with a mission of contributing academically to build a sustainable university, country and a world. The M.Sc. in Environmental Science programme which is on offer for almost two decades initially by the Environment Studies Units (ESU) of the Open University and since 2015 by the CESSD, has evolved into one of the best M.Sc. in Environmental Science programmes offered by the Sri Lankan university system. Enabling employed students the flexibility of learning while working as professionals in different fields, the M.Sc. in Environmental Science Programme is offered through Open and Distance (ODL) mode. Since 2019 the CESSD is taking steps to expand her involvements in line with the broader framework provided by Green Policy adopted by the Open University since 2018 and to involve with offering more programmes, engaging with research and conducting advocacy in areas related to environmental studies and sustainable development. The CEESD is currently planning to introduce diploma programmes short courses, stand-alone courses and training workshops in a variety of subject areas such as “greening cities”, “circular economy and waste management”, “disaster management”, “crops and environmental change” and “sustainable water resource management” to be offered during the coming years. The CESSD is also at a stage of designing a few collaborative research projects with universities in Germany and UK on “off-grid cities”, “microplastics and ocean pollution” and “hydraulic civilization and cascade systems”. An advocacy campaigned is initiated by CESSD to promote bicycle lanes as a solution to urban transport problem in Sri Lanka. The CESSD also plays a prominent role in converting the Open University to a green university – to convert the university landscape to a green landscape, convert the Science and Technology Building and the CESSD building to green buildings as pilot projects and to introduce code of energy and resource use to university staff. The “Green Committee” and the “Green Club”, forums are created by CESSD, provide spaces for teachers and the students of the Open University to engage with Green policy concept and its activities.

The Open University of Sri Lanka
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