A brainchild of the late, great Hon. Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, BCIS was established in 1974 to spearhead Sri Lanka’s knowledge development in the sphere of International Relations. From then to now, BCIS has been able to fulfil the vision it was founded on; To be the premier South Asian Institute for research, training, and knowledge dissemination in International Studies, Policy Advocacy, Empowerment, and Sustainability, by gaining both national and regional-level recognition for the fields of study we engage in.
Having played a monumental role in international affairs through her capacity as Sri Lanka’s Premier, Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike strongly believed in the need for an institution that could provide a world-class education in International Relations. Even as far back as the early 70’s, she understood the importance the discipline would hold in a world that was fast becoming one interconnected community.
Thereafter, through a resilient effort, BCIS came in to being in a section of the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall complex, ironically just two years before the historic Fifth Conference of Heads of States and Governments of the Non-Aligned Nations.
Policy-oriented research in International Relations and Global Affairs based on the nonaligned principles
Teaching and dissemination of knowledge in International Relations and Global Affairs
Policy advocacy and evidence-based research outputs to aid the policy-making process in Sri Lanka; benefiting internal IR efforts and scholars of the subject
Networking and outreach activities to profile BCIS nationally, regionally, and globally; enabling the forging of institutional links to strengthen BCIS’s capacities in the above three areas.
Through such a specific focus, we have made it our mission to educate civil service and private sector personnel and enhance their knowledge in IR so that they may serve national institutions, international organizations and Sri Lanka’s diplomatic missions with greater impact.
As an educational institution however, our main forte is in providing a purely academic and general education in the field of International Relation.
Beyond the spectrum of teaching, BCIS also engages in more practical forms of knowledge sharing such as the organization of special courses and public events in building awareness for IR related topics. Our services even extended to the capacity of providing consultative assistance to the Government of Sri Lanka and as well as other regional organizations that are dedicated to the cause of strengthening international relations and preserving world peace.
In an era when a nation’s progress and development lies purely on its ability to come into mutually beneficial understandings with the rest of the world, the fundamentals of International Relations play a crucial role in the aspects of cross-border governance and trade. As a thought leader in this sphere, BCIS will continue to deliver impactful contributions through our constantly growing knowledge base and evolving methodologies.