Enhancing Research Capacity: Qualitative Research Workshop – HRDC
The Human Resource Development Centre (HRDC) completed a six-day workshop series aimed at enhancing the research capacity of academic staff, focusing on qualitative data analysis. The workshop series, held between December 2024 and January 2025, was organized under the patronage of Senior Professor S P Premaratna, Director of the centre, and coordinated by Mr Joseph Francis, the Short Course Coordinator at HRDC. A total of 110 academic staff members including academic staff from the University of Colombo, private universities, and government institutions, underscoring its impact on the research community.
The comprehensive six-day workshop series covered crucial aspects of qualitative research, from research design and data collection to data analysis, data visualization, and presenting credible findings. Distinguished resource persons led the following sessions, providing invaluable knowledge and hands-on experience:
- Qualitative Research Design and Data Collection by Professor Tharusha N. Goonaratne on 03 December 2024
- Qualitative Research Approaches by Dr B A Nuresh Eranda on 12 December 2024
- Qualitative Data Analysis (using NVIVO) by Dr B A Nuresh Eranda on 17 December 2024
- Data Visualization and Interpretation of Findings by Dr B A Nuresh Eranda on 07 January 2025
- Qualitative Research Practices by Dr Donella Caspersz on 20 January 2025
- Presenting Findings and Credibility in Qualitative Research by Professor Tharusha N. Goonaratne on 21 January 2025
Held over six half-day sessions, the workshops aimed to provide participants with the essential skills required for effective qualitative research, including the use of NVIVO for data analysis. By the end of the series, participants had gained the expertise to design and carry out robust qualitative research projects, interpret findings, and communicate results with credibility.
