Universities have an important role to play in local, national and global development processes. The University of Ruhuna being the Southern Province’s academic institution has the responsibility of forming present and future generations of development leaders and managers in an increasingly knowledge-based society and to engage with governments to help defining policy options. A strong alliance between the University and the UNDP AGSL will lead to the generation of knowledge and policy options for human development in the Southern Province (SP).

Recognizing the key role academic institutions could play in the territorial development of the province, AGSL has initiated a close cooperation with the Ruhuna University, specifically its Agricultural and Archeological departments.

The University of Ruhuna through its Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture (one of seven faculties) and AGSL agreed to engage in a partnership to jointly work towards the common goal of furthering the development in the Southern Province. The framework partnership document was signed on 24th January 2008.

The Department of Agricultural Economics (DAE) is one of the seven academic departments of the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Ruhuna. The Department is served by a number of well-known academics and academic disciplines and research areas include: principles of micro and macro economics, international trade, development economics, agricultural economics and policy, agricultural extension, principles of farm management, rural development, farm accounting, econometrics, natural resource economics, environmental economics, fisheries economics, etc. The DAE has also commenced two paid Masters Courses in Natural Resources Management and Agro Business Management and a diploma course in Agro Business Management. To promote human development in the southern region, the DAE has already done quite a number of research studies. Given the strong agricultural basis of the SP’s economy, it is evident that DAE could play a crucial role in contributing towards human development.

The cooperation comprises but is not limited to the following areas:

• Development of Long Term Development Policies
• Formulation and Implementation of Development Interventions
• Joint Internship Programme
• Provision of Expert Knowledge Partnerships with International Universities

 Long Term Development Policies – Through this partnership the engagement of the Department of Agricultural Economics in contributing towards the development of long term development policies in the Southern region in the areas of its specific expertise will be facilitated and supported (e.g. Local Economic Development, Rural Extension).

Implementing Strategies and Innovative Ideas – AGSL will build upon and implement development strategies and innovative ideas being developed by the Department of Economics through the AGSL programme given their coherence with government policies and the overall goals of the AGSL programme.

Internships – AGSL accommodates students who are specializing in the Department of Agricultural Economics to carry out internships within the framework of the AGSL programme. Selected Interns are engaging in specific projects and research, which count for the completion of their degrees and contribute towards the achievement of AGSL’s goals in specific programme areas. The specific thematic areas of such internships vary both according to the needs of the programme and the Academic programme of Department of Agricultural Economics, e.g. Agricultural Development, Community Development, Local Economic Development, Agricultural Extension, Natural Resource Management, Fisheries, etc. AGSL provides logistical support and professional guidance needed for the successful completion of such internships. .

Expert Knowledge – AGSL avail of the rich technical expertise available within the Department of Agricultural Economics through the joint implementation of commonly defined projects and interventions, obtaining expert advice on specific sectors and if necessary the provision of institutional and/or individual consultancies which are deemed beneficial for the implementation and sustainability of the programme.

Partnership with International Universities – AGSL will facilitate and support the involvement of the University of Ruhuna within the overall network of international Universities established and facilitated through the International ART UNIVERSITAS component as outlined in the ART Universitas: Universities for training, research and knowledge dissemination for local human development and international cooperation.

More specifically the ART Universitas component promotes and facilitates:

Exchange of knowledge: exchange of knowledge within the network of Universities participating in the Universitas network.

Joint Research Partnerships: facilitate partnerships for joint research in areas related to human development and international cooperation.

Promotion of Knowledge Dissemination: fostering of international knowledge dissemination through the established web based HDRNet platform.

Workshops and Seminars: facilitation and organization of workshops and policy dialogues on strategic issues addressed by the ART Initiative that bring together academics, practitioners and policy makers.

Curriculum Development: support the University of Ruhuna in the development of specific human development related curricula through transferring the experience and knowledge from the ART Universitas network.

Student exchange: support student exchanges within the network of ART Universitas.

Internship Programme – Selected good research proposals will be elaborate into concrete projects in November and December 2008. In this regard university academia and AGSL will closely work with reference stakeholders together with the interns who work in research proposal in order to touch each and every component of the proposal.

Partnership with International Universities – The Universitas mission assume to visit Sri Lanka during the month of December 2008 and will have initial discussion and workshop with university academia to aware about the Univeritas programme. Since then Universitas will open new window for Sri Lankan universities to liaise with other universities in the world with in the institutionalize manner.

Long Term Development Policies – The University of Ruhuna will organize Round Table Discussion to elaborate on the idea of initiating a process of pulling all stakeholders together for discussing the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities in a specific sector crucial for the development of the region. AGSL will facilitate this initiatives and networking people and institutions towards this.