3rd Student Research Symposium

About us

The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) is the only state University in Sri Lanka which offers a wide range of academic programmes of study through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode. It offers Certificate, Diploma, Degree, and Postgraduate Degree programmes in a wide range of disciplines through its six Faculties, namely, Education, Engineering Technology, Health Sciences, Management Studies, Humanities & Social Sciences and Natural Sciences and the Postgraduate Institute of English (PGIE).

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) is the faculty which has the largest student population of the Open University of Sri Lanka. It offers academic programmes ranging from Foundation level to PhD degree level through its five departments, namely, Legal Studies, Social Studies, Language Studies, English Language Teaching, and Information Studies Unit. The Faculty is dedicated to provide quality educational opportunities for adult learners for professional and personal advancement and excellence in scholarship and researching in contemporary disciplines in Humanities and Social Sciences.

History of the HSSSRS

In 2017, the Research Committee of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Open University of Sri Lanka, organized a Student Research Symposium for the first time.  The theme of the Symposium was “Understanding the past, analyzing the present, facing the future: Humanities and Social Sciences and shaping vibrant communities”. The Symposium was supported by the Open University and The Asia Foundation that year. The Symposium was an immense success with over 40 undergraduate and postgraduate students presenting high quality papers over a period of two days.  The discussions that the symposium generated were invigorating and enthusiastic and generated opportunities for interaction between the four departments of the faculty.  Subsequently, it was agreed that a Student Symposium would be organized biennially by the faculty.

The objectives of the SRSHSS:

♦  To strengthen the research culture within the faculty of HSS
♦  To provide feedback for ongoing student research projects
♦  To develop student skills in research communication
♦  To provide students with opportunities to disseminate their research findings.

Expected outcomes of the SRSHSS:

♦  Strengthened analytical and research skills of students.
♦  Improved research presentation skills among students (both writing and oral skills).
♦  Increased interaction among students from diverse disciplines.
♦  Strengthened research culture within the faculty.

About the HSSSRS 2023

“New Directions in the Humanities and Social Sciences” 

This is the 3^rd Student Research Symposium organized by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (SRSHSS). It will be held on the 19^th May 2023 at the Colombo Regional Centre of the Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala. Abstracts are called from both undergraduate and postgraduate students under four tracks. The abstracts accepted for presentation will be published in a Conference Proceedings volume. All presenters will receive certificates of presentation and the best undergraduate and postgraduate presenters from each track of themes will be presented the Best Paper Awards.

Proceedings of the HSSSRS -2023 

HSSSRS Invitation -2023 

HSSSRS 2023