Think Space at CEPA

CEPA is equipped with a Resource Centre that holds a Reference Library and an interactive space known as the ‘Think Space’ to carry out various events to generate and exchange knowledge.

The Reference Library is a platform to generate and disseminate resources on poverty and development in Sri Lanka. There are over 3000 resources in the reference collection on impact monitoring, evaluation, research methodology, poverty, development and broad areas of social science in print. The Online Public Access Catalogue, searchable by author, title and keywords can be accessed through the Poverty Portal – http://www.povertyportal.lk

Resources on similar subject areas are available in soft form, for download through the Portal.  In addition, over 80 CEPA’s research publications, coordinated by the Resource Centre are available via the Portal and the CEPA site – https://www.cepa.lk/publications.html

Access to the Resource Centre is free.  The resources are designed to cater to a clientele comprising the academia, researchers, development practitioners, students, government officials, civil societies and the general public. Lending services are available through Inter-Library Loan facility (ILL) to institutions for a period of two weeks.

The CEPA Reference Library also functions as the ‘Think Space’. The Think Space is an efficient space layout that promotes satisfaction to our energetic researchers through the ease at which they can perform their daily tasks and facilitates rearranging or expansion. Our creative space is better suited to change, as the space can be manipulated without compromising current productivity.

CEPA’s novel Think Space provides a variety of functions unlike the typical office environment. It can be transformed into more functional and easy areas like a study room, networking room and workshop and many more multipurpose spaces.

Creating a room that serves more than one purpose may sound challenging. However, with space-sensitive furniture and a few clever design strategies, we have that dual-purpose meeting room or Think Space networking room while keeping it aesthetically pleasing and fully functional.

This creative space is the ideal way to network that allows researchers to improve in an engaging, exciting and inspirational environment surrounded by like-minded individuals. CEPA strive as a Think-Tank Initiative to encourage engagement and networking every day. The Think Space is relaxed and unassuming, creating the perfect breeding ground for discussion and ideas to be shared and brought to fruition.

CEPA prides itself on the clean open spaces, greenery, vibrant pops of colour and multi-purpose room/library designed to bring people together, to create dialogues. There is an instant easy-going atmosphere in this space, not least because everyone is working on their own projects but also because there is a much larger sense of independence and autonomy that is hard to capture in a 9-5 office.

CEPA is lucky enough to provide this space to a diverse group of individuals; researchers can be from any walk of life, which is part of what makes CEPA a great think tank! Having that opportunity to network with people who have been brought up differently, taught differently or worked in a completely different sector is invaluable. It gives researchers the opportunity to broaden their minds and be more open to new suggestions that may never have otherwise considered.