The University of Sri Jayewardenepura has been internationally recognized as a 2026 Youth in Evaluation Champion by Eval4Action, a global campaign advancing the future of evaluation. This prestigious recognition is awarded to institutions that actively embed the Youth in Evaluation standards in how they design, conduct, and use evaluations, with a strong focus on meaningful and sustained youth participation.
Now in its third year, the 2026 Youth in Evaluation Champion Awards brought together 42 organizations from across the world, representing academia, governments, professional evaluation associations, youth networks, international bodies, the private sector, and United Nations agencies. Among these, only 15 organizations were selected for distinction, with the University of Sri Jayewardenepura named as one of just six institutions to receive the Youth in Evaluation Champion award for the first time. The awards are based on a rigorous self-assessment against the Youth in Evaluation standards, placing the university in the “Exceeding minimum requirement” category for meaningful youth engagement in evaluation.
The awards were announced on 19 May 2026 at the global inauguration of the Youth in Evaluation Forum 2026, a three-day digital convening organized by Eval4Action and partners to showcase global progress in youth centered evaluation. At this inauguration, Eval4Action and its partners highlighted the champions’ leadership in promoting intergenerational collaboration and setting benchmarks for youth participation in evaluation, with the University of Sri Jayewardenepura recognized for its documented progress in institutionalizing youth engagement within evaluation processes.
This recognition builds on a decade of dedicated work at the university to advance monitoring and evaluation (M&E) education, practice, and youth engagement. Through the Department of Community Medicine of the Faculty of Medical Sciences and the Centre for Evaluation, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura has developed a comprehensive portfolio of academic programmes, including a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation offered since 2017, a four month Advanced Certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation with high demand across government, private and NGO sectors, and a proposed MSc in Monitoring and Evaluation currently under University Grants Commission (UGC) review. The Centre for Evaluation, established in 2017, also leads training and capacity building initiatives for parliamentarians, government officers, youth evaluators and other stakeholders, and collaborates closely with national and international partners such as EvalYouth, Asia Pacific Evaluation Association (APEA), Sri Lanka Evaluation Association (SLEvA) and UN agencies.
The university’s self-assessment against the Youth in Evaluation standards highlights strong performance across leadership and accountability, practice, advocacy and capacity development, and knowledge management and communication, particularly in the development of standalone evaluation courses, establishment of a centre for evaluation, and creation of opportunities for diverse young graduates to engage in real world evaluation experiences and internships. By being recognized as a 2026 Champion, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura is acknowledged as a regional leader in youth centered evaluation and learning, further strengthening its commitment to empowering young people as active contributors to knowledge, policy and practice, and to advancing a more inclusive, evidence informed development agenda.
