A team of senior officials from the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) visited the NSF on 20th March, 2025 and discussions were held to renew the MoU between two organizations in conducting the Business Enterprise Sector Survey of the National R&D Survey for the next five years. The team from DCS comprised Dr J.S.N.P. Dharmawardana, Deputy Director, Ms M.B.M.D. Bandara, Statistician and Mr A. Jayathilaka, Statistician of the DCS attended the discussion.
Dr Sepalika Sudasinghe, Director General NSF welcomed the DCS officials whilst thanking for their tremendous support extended in the past surveys indicating the importance of continuing this partnership.
Explaining the objectives of this meeting, Mr Wasantha Anuruddha, Head of the Science and Technology Policy Research Division mentioned that the NSF is in the process of starting the National R&D Survey for the year 2024 and to carry out the Business Enterprise sector survey for the next period with the DCS where it was highlighted the importance of making necessary updates to the existing s MoU.
The Chairman, NSF Prof. Saman Seneweera delivering the opening remarks, underlined the versatility of the data that the NSF possess from these surveys and emphasized the importance of analyzing these data to shed lights and pointers of insights of future trends and needs of the National R & D landscape in the country. The Chairman further proposed to have future collaboration and cooperation in this aspect with the DCS.
Dr Dharmawardana shared his experience in conducting the past Business Enterprise sector surveys and acknowledged the opportunity they got to conduct this survey and related experience they have acquired through this survey. Dr Shantha Siri, Additional Director, NSF pointed out the way of increasing the response rate of the Business Enterprise sector by conveying the importance of this survey to the respondents, benefits that can be reaped by contributing to this survey and from NSF grant schemes as well. The DCS handed over the collected the whole data set of the Business Enterprise sector surveys 2018, 2020 and 2022 to the NSF.
Thereafter, a discussion was held on the renewal of the MoU and consensus arrived in proposed new amendments. Accordingly, MoU will be signed on the next survey cycles so as to enhance collaboration and cooperation between both entities and also smooth functioning of the National R&D Survey.