Circularity Challenge: The Art of Innovation Workshop
Capacity building and innovation workshop titled “The Art of Innovation Workshop” was successfully conducted on 20th January 2026 at the Faculty Boardroom, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo, under the coordination of the Career Guidance Unit, Faculty of Arts, for undergraduate students.
The workshop was conducted as part of the Circularity Challenge, an innovation competition hosted by INSEE Ecocycle Sri Lanka and organized by Graduate Associate Professionals (Private) Limited, with the objective of fostering research-driven innovation and promoting circular economy thinking among university students and young innovators.
The 4-hour hands-on programme, based on design thinking principles, focused on creative problem-solving, project ideation, and early-stage solution development, while emphasizing the importance of research as the foundation of credible and impactful innovation. The workshop was conducted with the participation of Prof. Ranjith Dissanayake, Dr. Shashini Ranabahu, Mr. Sujith Gunawardhene and Mr. Bhanuka Dayawansa, who contributed through guest speeches, expert sessions, and a case study discussion.
The workshop programme included a welcome and introductory session, an overview of the Circularity Challenge supported by a video presentation, expert sessions on the innovator’s mindset and the significance of research, a case study presentation, interactive activities on problem identification, idea development, and rapid prototyping, as well as final student pitches.
The workshop enhanced undergraduates’ exposure to innovation processes, strengthened their research orientation, and supported them in developing project ideas suitable for submission to the Circularity Challenge.
