I am a fourth-year undergraduate student at 麻豆AV majoring in Economics and International Development. This summer, I interned remotely as a research assistant at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI) in Sri Lanka. I was specifically involved in the Institute鈥檚 Global Economy Programme.
Studying Economics with International Development, which is an interdisciplinary program, gave me the opportunity to gain knowledge in fields such as sustainability, political science and environmental studies, through an economic lens. This helped cultivate my interests in economic policy and sustainable development. This is why, upon learning about LKI, I was immediately drawn to their work. Their mission is to engage in independent research of Sri Lanka鈥檚 international relations and strategic interests, to provide insights and recommendations that advance justice, peace, prosperity and sustainability. Their publications - which exist in several formats including policy briefs, working papers, public reports and website articles - focus on a range of topics including trade, investment, labour market policies, foreign policy and international economic relations. LKI also conducts for a range of stake holders including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other government bodies, the private sector, academic organizations and civil society.
I was compelled to intern at LKI since I believed it was a unique chance to research the global impacts of phenomena and policies and extract key insights with regards to a country鈥檚 own strategic interests and goals for sustainable development. I was also born in Sri Lanka, and having spent most of my childhood there I was keen on reconnecting with the country through a professional and academic dimension.
My responsibilities as an intern included assisting with researching and writing LKI鈥檚 publications. Over the course of my internship I assisted with several publications including a policy brief focussing on strengthening India-Sri Lanka bilateral relations and a debt explainer, which evaluated Sri Lanka鈥檚 debt situation by observing key indicators and comparing them with countries that had experienced a debt crisis. I conducted research regarding the impact on COVID-19 on Sri Lanka and the South Asian region, and the resulting rise in regional engagement and cooperation. I also reviewed and edited key publications including the Institute鈥檚 Annual Report and Foreign Policy Report. In addition to this I have been building a data repository for other researchers and newcomers at LKI. Navigating and hunting for data is the most time consuming task for most researchers. Therefore I have helped collect key economic data and indicators from multiple sources into a database that will continue to be used by LKI in the future.
Now, towards the end my internship, I have been working on an independent publication for LKI which is a policy brief on strengthening Sri Lanka-Bangladesh economic relations. Pursuing my own piece of research and writing has been the most valuable opportunity during my internship. It has been a challenging process that has highlighted skills I can strengthen, and given me the chance to do so, while additionally rewarding me with the authorship of a published piece. The tasks that I was assigned have also allowed me to develop a focussed specialty in the South Asian political economy, which is now an academic interest I hope to pursue further.
The professional interactions I have had during my internship have spanned three different time zones with me in Montreal, the LKI office in Sri Lanka and my supervisor in Germany. This has been a challenging aspect of work that all of us were new to navigating. However, with a routine and daily, scheduled communication I was able to make the most of overlapping work hours. Despite difficult circumstances and less than ideal working conditions, I am happy to say I have had rewarding internship experience that has helped me develop academically, professionally and personally.
The Nicol Family Foundation Internship Award provided me with the funds and support I required to keep pursuing my academic and professional goals, especially in these unforeseen circumstances. Due to the pandemic I had to remain in Montreal, away from my family in India. With a lot of uncertainty and dismay, the situation also brought with it unexpected costs. Not only did the Nicol Family Foundation Internship Award help provide the means to cover my living costs, it also offered a sense of stability, achievement and motivation at a crucial time.
Thank you Ms. Chloe Nicol. Your generous support has allowed me to make the most out of a truly formative learning and working experience.
