The Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) established by an Act of Parliament under the IPS Act No. 53 of 1988, is an autonomous institution designed to promote policy-oriented economic research and to strengthen the capacity for medium-term policy analysis in Sri Lanka. The Institute's mission is to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country through informed, independent, and high quality research that seeks to influence the policy process. With more than two decades of substantial research expertise, IPS has emerged as a regional centre of research excellence and the most influential think-tank in Sri Lanka.
The principal research themes of IPS at present include among others - Macroeconomic Policy; International Economic Policy; Labour, Employment and Human Resources Development; Industry, Public Enterprise Reform and Regulatory Policy; Poverty and Social Welfare; Health Policy Programme; Agricultural Economic Policy; and Environmental Economic Policy. The expanding research outputs have been reinforced by professional in-house support services in the provision of Institute's own library, publications, information technology, web development and database services. To know more, please see: www.ips.lk
Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), a New Delhi based autonomous think-tank under the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, is an organisation that specialises in policy research on international economic issues and development cooperation. RIS is envisioned as a forum for fostering effective policy dialogue and capacity building among developing countries on international economic issues.
The focus of the work programme of RIS is to promote South-South Cooperation and assist developing countries in multilateral negotiations in various forums. RIS is engaged in the Track II process of several regional initiatives. RIS is providing analytical support to the Government of India in the negotiations for concluding comprehensive economic cooperation agreements with partner countries. Through its intensive network of policy think-tanks, RIS seeks to strengthen policy coherence on international economic issues. RIS also brings out reports, books, policy briefs, discussion papers, journals, etc. For more information about RIS and its work programme, please visit: www.ris.org.in
South Asia Centre for Policy Studies (SACEPS) is an independent, non-profit making, regional, non-governmental organisation engaged in promoting policy dialogues, research and interaction between policymakers, business community and civil society by drawing in a wider constituency of people committed to promote regional cooperation in South Asia.
It is a network organisation involved in promoting regional integration in South Asia. The core strength of SACEPS lies in its ability to network within the civil society with a number of leading educational institutions and think-tanks in South Asian region. The founding institutions include: Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh; Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), India; Centre for Policy Research (CPR), India; Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS), Nepal; Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS), Pakistan; Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS); and Marga Institute (MI), Sri Lanka.
The SACEPS permanent Secretariat was established in 2005, and is based in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Centre has signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Nepal, which has provided the organisation with status of International NGO (INGO). To know more about the organisation, please visit: www.saceps.org
South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) was launched in 1994 as a regional network of NGOs from five South Asian countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Taking into consideration the emerging need for fair, effective and meaningful integration of South Asian countries into the regional as well as global economies, the major motto of this regional initiative has been: GLOBALIZATION YES, BUT WITH SAFETY NETS.
Based in Kathmandu, Nepal, SAWTEE is also the secretariat of a national network called National Alliance for Food Security in Nepal (NAFOS); a global network called Farmers' Rights Advocacy Network (FRANK); and another global network called Least Developed Countries Network for Economic Transformation (LDC-NET). SAWTEE's members and staff have served/been serving on the boards of various international and national agencies working on trade, development, farmers' rights and food security issues.
SAWTEE's vision is to ensure fair, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable growth and development in South Asia. Its goal is to enable stakeholders, particularly the poor and marginalised, to derive net benefits from changing political economy and environmental landscapes. To know more about the organisation, please visit: www.sawtee.org
Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) is a premier independent policy think-tank of Pakistan that has been generating and disseminating research-based solutions catalysing transitions to sustainable development since 1992. SDPI is working on issues of inclusive growth, fiscal policies, regional and international trade (in services and goods), globalisation, livelihoods, migration and remittances, renewable energy, food security, corporate social responsibilities, education, governance, and health. SDPI is also working on environmental issues and climate change (adaptation and mitigation).
SDPI is called upon to provide knowledge-based advice on the above mentioned issues by public and private sectors, media, academia, parliament and broader civil society. It is member of various regional and international networks.
SDPI aims to address the most pressing issues of the current time through research, training and rigorous policy outreach. As a part of the larger agenda of the think-tanks across South Asia, SDPI aims to continue to engender debate on and respond to changing concerns in a challenging environment. For more details, please see: www.sdpi.org
