The Government of Japan has provided grant assistance worth JPY 282 million, approximately Rs. 591 million, to Sri Lanka under the Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) programme.
Under the initiative, 15 Sri Lankan public sector officials will be selected to pursue two-year Master’s degree programmes at Japanese universities from 2027.
The scholarships will cover fields including public policy, international relations and international development, macroeconomics, public finance and investment management, industry development policy and investment promotion.
Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Akio Isomata and Treasury Secretary and Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma signed and exchanged the relevant notes on the grant assistance in Colombo on August 17.
According to the Japanese Embassy, the programme aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of promising young public sector officials and prepare them for future leadership roles in their respective fields.
Since the JDS programme was introduced in Sri Lanka in 2010, a total of 254 public sector officials have benefited from the initiative.
Japan said the programme is expected to strengthen both the individual capabilities of participating officials and the institutional capacity of Sri Lanka’s public sector, supporting the country’s sustainable development.
The initiative is also expected to further strengthen Sri Lanka-Japan relations by fostering professional and academic networks between the two countries.
