Overview
The South Asian Centre for Teacher Development (SACTD–UNESCO C2C) successfully hosted its flagship event, the Symposium on Educational Research in South Asia (SERSA 2025), bringing together academics, teacher educators, researchers, and diplomats from across the South Asian region. The symposium featured a keynote address by Emeritus Professor Lakshman Samaranayake, the former Dean of the Dental school of Hong Kong University & a scholar with a Google h-Index of 104, whose insights set a visionary tone around the theme of the symposium “Reimagining Education: Innovation, Inclusion and Impact.” Congratulatory messages issued by the Hon. Prime Minister & Minister of Education Higher Education and Vocational Education, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, H.E. Manisha Gunasekera, Mr Carlos Vargas, Head UNESCO’s Teacher Development Unit, Representing The South Asian Diplomatic corp, The Ambassador of Nepal to Sri Lanka H.E.Dr. Purna Bahadur Nepali & the Minister Counsellor of the Maldives, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh were present in person.
A landmark highlight of the event was the launch of the SACTD UNESCO C2C Endowment Chair and Professor Lakshman Samaranayake Research Fund, marking a significant commitment to strengthening evidence-based educational research and regional collaboration. The inaugural donation of one million LKR was donated to SACTD by Prof Samaranayake. The symposium concluded with two parallel technical sessions where over 20 teachers & educators presented extended abstracts on a wide range of topics related to Inclusive Education, Greening Education, Teacher’s professional attributes etc. Presenters were awarded certificate of recognition and they also had meaningful networking opportunities, reinforcing SACTD’s role as a regional hub for educational innovation and research excellence.
Goal
To reimagine education by fostering innovation, ensuring inclusion, and driving impactful policies that enhance learning outcomes, equitable access, and workforce readiness in South Asia.
Objectives
- Foster collaboration among teacher education leaders in the region.
- Facilitate the exchange of insights and best practices.
- Provide mentorship for emerging leaders in the field.
- Explore collaborative research opportunities.
- Contribute to initiatives aimed at enhancing teacher development programs.
Gallery
The outcome
SERSA 2025 strengthened regional collaboration among South Asian educators and researchers, launched the SACTD UNESCO C2C Endowment Chair and Research Fund, enhanced teacher research capacity, promoted evidence-based educational practices, encouraged innovation and inclusion, and fostered meaningful dialogue between policymakers, academics, and emerging scholars.
Institutional Partnerships
90+
Institutional Partnerships
1
Endowment Chair
The symposium featured a keynote address by Emeritus Professor Lakshman Samaranayake, whose insights set a visionary tone around the theme “Reimagining Education: Innovation, Inclusion and Impact.”
