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Beyond Mahapola

The Beyond Mahapola Conference is the inaugural national convening under Beyond Mahapola, a platform designed to unite Mahapola scholarship recipients across generations, disciplines and regions. The Conference seeks to transform a shared educational opportunity into a sustained culture of dialogue, leadership and public responsibility.

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For over four decades, Mahapola has enabled access to higher education for thousands of Sri Lankans. The Annual Mahapola Conference marks a transition from gratitude to responsibility, bringing alumni together to reflect on national challenges, exchange ideas, and develop structured working models on key public policy themes.

This is not merely a commemorative event. It is the foundation for,

The formation of the Mahapola Alumni Association

The launch of Regional Youth Collectives

An intergenerational national network committed to knowledge and public service

Quick Look @ The Conference

Format: One-Day National Conference
Participants: Mahapola Alumni, Current Recipients, and Selected Non-Mahapola Graduates
Structure: Main Plenary + 7 Technical Sessions + Launching Pad for Next Initiatives

What to Expect

Main Plenary Session

A national-level dialogue setting the intellectual and moral tone of the Conference.

Seven Thematic Technical Sessions

Participants work in structured teams to deliberate, negotiate and develop Working Models under the following themes:

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  1. Economic Structure, Production & Livelihoods

  2. Connectivity, Infrastructure & Logistics

  3. Education, Skills & Knowledge Systems

  4. Health, Welfare & Population Well-Being

  5. Agriculture, Food Security & Natural Resource Systems

  6. Energy, Climate & Environmental Sustainability

  7. Governance, Law & Social Cohesion

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Each session produces a consolidated Working Model, a structured output developed through team position sharing, amendments and formal voting.

Launch of the Mahapola Alumni Association

The Conference formally initiates the creation of a national alumni platform to sustain dialogue, mentorship and regional engagement beyond the event.​

Awards & Closing Ceremony

Recognising excellence and reaffirming commitment to collective responsibility.

Requirements for Registration

To ensure meaningful engagement and structured participation, the following requirements apply:

1. Team-Based Participation

  • Teams must consist of 3–5 members

  • Teams are self-formed

  • Each team must designate functional roles:

    • Spokesperson

    • Research Strategist

    • Policy Crafter

    • Storyteller

    • Connector

(Where teams have fewer than five members, roles may be combined.)

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2. Submission of Interest Paper

  • All registered teams are required to submit a pre-conference Interest Paper, outlining:

    • Their negotiables

    • Their non-negotiables

    • Preliminary policy position

    • Strategic direction under the selected theme

  • Following submission, teams will be assigned a specific scope within their chosen theme for focused preparation.

3. Language Requirement

  • The Conference operates on a trilingual platform.

  • However, at least two members of each team (the Spokesperson and Storyteller Roles) must be conversant in English, as formal procedural elements will be conducted in English.

Click to Register

Be part of the first edition of the Annual Mahapola Conference.

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Join a national gathering of alumni, scholars and professionals committed to transforming a shared educational legacy into collective responsibility and action.

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