Scientific research inSri Lanka is carried out by several research institutions. However, historically, Sri Lanka has been behind its regional peers in research funding. Sri Lanka was ranked 93rd in theGlobal Innovation Index in 2025.[1][2]
The apex body in Sri Lanka for government research funding is the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka.[3] The Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD), a joint program between the Sri Lankan government and the World Bank, provides research grants to Sri Lanka's higher education institutes.[4]