Inauguration of the International Field Biology Course at the Department of Anthropology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
The Department of Anthropology of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, held the inauguration of the International Field Biology Course on 9th October 2026 from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM at the Physical Anthropology Laboratory, Sri Wimaladhamma Mansion, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The course is jointly organized by the Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, and the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Zoology of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, under the DIWPA (DIVERSITAS in the Western Pacific and Asia) International Field Biology Course (IFBC) programme. The IFBC will be conducted from 9th to 14th October, comprising both fieldwork and laboratory components. The ceremony commenced with the lighting of the traditional oil lamp, followed by the University Anthem and the Department Song. Senior Professor Charmalie Nahallage of the Department of Anthropology, the local coordinator of the field course delivered the welcome address, and Professor Kamal Ranathunga, Founder Director of the Center for Marine Science and Technology, Department of Zoology, also addressed the gathering. Professor Hiroyuki Tanaka of the Center for Primate Field Studies and the Center for Ecological Research, the coordinator of the programme from Kyoto University, Japan, extended a welcome and offered guidance on the IFBC, after which the participants introduced themselves in a series of lightning talks. The participants included representatives from Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, and India, as well as students of the Departments of Anthropology and Zoology. The programme concluded with two DIWPA special lectures. Professor Muneeb M. Musthafa of the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka spoke on environmental DNA as an innovative and cost-effective tool for monitoring ecosystems and assessing biodiversity. Professor Michael Huffman of Nagasaki University, Japan, who also serves as an Adjunct Faculty Member of the Department of Anthropology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, delivered a lecture on multidisciplinary primate research in Sri Lanka, covering its past, present and future perspectives.
