In a significant stride toward enhancing the academic landscape in Sri Lanka, LEARN (Lanka Education and Research Network) has recently unveiled two innovative services for its member institutes. These new offerings aim to empower member institutions by bolstering the credibility of their academic events and providing strategic insights for research benchmarking, reinforcing LEARN’s commitment to supporting and empowering the country’s higher education sector. They are a testament to LEARN’s commitment to ensuring that every higher education institution, regardless of size or location, can leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance its educational and research capabilities.
Digital Certificates for Events
The first of the novel services provided by LEARN is the provision of verifiable digital certificates for events organised by its member institutes, including those by student organisations. This service will be delivered through a partnership with Micro Rewards, enabling LEARN to offer digital certificates recorded using blockchain technology. The digital certificates are provided free of charge with no hidden fees, making it an attractive option for institutions looking to add value to their events without incurring additional costs. Through these digital certificates, events organised by LEARN member institutes gain increased credibility due to the authenticity ensured through blockchain technology. Therefore, participants can trust that the certificates they receive are authentic and recognised. Moreover, these digital certificates can be shared easily on social media platforms, allowing recipients to showcase their achievements and participation in the various events organised. Member institutes interested in issuing these digital certificates may write to piumi@learn.ac.lk to get acquainted.
Strategic Benchmarking for LEARN Member Institutes
LEARN has also dedicated itself to helping its member institutes benchmark their research activities. This is facilitated through data from Elsevier’s Research performance assessment solution known as SciVal, a powerful platform that enables users to visualise and benchmark institutional research performance, identify and develop collaborative partnerships, and analyse research trends. The platform will enable institutions to view key metrics such as scholarly output, citation impacts, citation counts, and several others to assess performance against other global entities. Through this service, LEARN will periodically share detailed reports with member institutes, offering a comprehensive overview of research performance and trends. Member institutes partnered with LEARN will now be able to compare their research output and impact against national and global benchmarks, enabling them to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Furthermore, the insights gained from the benchmarking data may then be used to guide institutes in making informed decisions about their research focus and investment, ensuring they remain competitive and aligned with emerging trends.
LEARN continues to uplift Sri Lankan Academia
These new services are the latest in LEARN’s ongoing efforts to empower Sri Lankan academia by supporting the digital inclusion of educational institutions across the country. As such, LEARN’s long-term vision encapsulates its commitment to fostering a future where cutting-edge, high-speed, and accessible network infrastructure and services ensure equitable outcomes for all stakeholders. LEARN’s initiatives are about more than just technology; they are about creating opportunities, fostering innovation, and ensuring that every educational institution in Sri Lanka can participate fully in the digital age. With these new services, LEARN continues to lead the way in transforming the academic landscape; driving sustainable, innovative, and affordable solutions by removing systematic barriers for an equitable and future-ready educational landscape in Sri Lanka.