From Policy to Practice: Reimagining Public Service in Sri Lanka

Citra Fellowship Executive Programme advancing innovative leadership in Sri Lanka

By Governance for Public Goods and Services

April 29^th, 2026

Public institutions shape everyday life, from accessing health care and education to navigating essential government services. But in a world of rising expectations, fiscal constraints, and growing complexity, the question is no longer whether public sectors should evolve—but how.

In Sri Lanka, a quiet transformation is underway.

At the heart of this shift is Citra, Sri Lanka’s pioneering Social Innovation Lab, established as a joint initiative between the Prime Minister’s Office and UNDP in Sri Lanka. The initiative recently hosted the fifth Citra Fellowship Executive Programme 2026, together with the Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA).

This unique, experiential learning initiative is specially curated to empower senior public sector officials with the skills, mindset, and tools needed to deliver innovative, efficient, and future-ready public services.

A NEW KIND OF LEADERSHIP

The Fifth Citra Fellowship Executive Programme 2026, held from 22 to 27 March 2026, welcomed a diverse cohort of public sector officials, including Additional Secretaries, Directors General (DGs) and Senior Assistant Secretaries from a range of Ministry portfolios, and addressed the evolving needs of the public sector, equipping participants to become agile, visionary leaders supporting Sri Lanka’s sustainable development ambitions.

The week-long programme was facilitated by Citra Lab and international experts, with valuable support from UNDP’s Governance and Public Goods and Services (GPGS) team through the FutureGov initiative, funded by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Sub-Fund under the UN Peace and Development Fund.

Citra Fellows 2026 along with high-level representatives from the Government of Sri Lanka and UNDP. Photo: © UNDP Sri Lanka

FROM IDEAS TO ACTION

The Citra Fellowship Executive Programme is designed as a journey in three stages:

Stage 1: A residential five-day workshop crafted to build a future-fit public service, facilitated by Citra Lab

Stage 2: Guided implementation of learning outcomes via a small-scale project over a three-month period, ranging from streamlining existing processes to redesigning workflows for greater efficiency.

Stage 3: A recap session focusing on sharing experiences, addressing challenges, celebrating successes, and charting a path forward for enhanced public service delivery.

From Policy to Practice: Reimagining Public Service in Sri Lanka

“The Fellowship Programme is expected to contribute towards building a more responsive, innovative, and results-oriented public sector. By investing in the continuous development of senior officials, we seek to further strengthen institutional capacity to support national development priorities and improve service delivery to citizens.”

— Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Sri Lanka

Beyond equipping participants with cutting-edge skills and exposing them to international best practices, the Citra Fellowship Executive Programme was also designed to foster a transformative mindset among Sri Lanka's public sector leaders. By inspiring them to become champions of innovation, especially during the nation’s post-recovery phase, the programme empowers officials to drive lasting change and elevate the quality and impact of public service across the country.

“What stood out to me was how design thinking helps us unpack the underlying issues behind a problem,” says P.P.S Rohana De Silva from the Ministry of Health and Mass Media.

“It changes how we prioritise and act.”

LOOKING AHEAD

As the fifth cohort completes its journey, one thing becomes clear: Public sector transformation is not a one-time reform. It is an ongoing process of learning, adapting, and evolving.

And in Sri Lanka, that process is already in motion—led by a new generation of public servants ready to turn vision into action.

Footnotes

The Citra Fellowship is funded by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Sub-Fund under the UN Peace and Development Fund. This story draws on materials previously published on the UNDP Sri Lanka website and has been adapted into a narrative for storytelling purposes.

Button Label

FootNotes