An important aspect of knowledge creation is that it is useful to the end user. Hence, the research into practice programme was initiated by NSF on a directive of the Director General, Dr Sepalika Sudasinghe, to leverage current research findings for practical applications, thereby fostering evidence-based decision making.
The research into practice forum was organized on 05th March 2025 at the NSF auditorium under the theme, “Decision supportive models for sustainable development”. This forum was organized in collaboration with the Department of Mathematics, University of Colombo, as a side event of the International Conference on Computational and Mathematical Modeling (ICCMM 2025).
The main objective of this forum was to create a platform for researchers and practitioners/implementers to meet and share the latest research findings in Computational and Mathematical Modelling. This was successfully achieved, as practitioners, policymakers, and professionals provided valuable inputs and insights during the practitioners and professionals’ discussions. Prof. Saman Seneweera, Chairman, NSF shared his thoughts on how mathematical modelling can be used for the agricultural sector in Sri Lanka. Prof. Saroj Jayasinghe, Prof Ranjith Dassanayake, Mr Shantha Weerasinghe and Prof. S.S.N. Perera also shared their views and areas for improvement.
Prof. Edy Soewono from Institute of Technology Bandung, Indonesia, shared his 25 years of experience on mathematical modelling initiatives and applications, as well as opportunities and challenges of mathematicians and how they can contribute to industry development.