01
Strengthen public understanding of legal processes, administrative law, and regulatory systems that govern institutional and civic life in Sri Lanka.
A School of Ziveka Online Campus
School of Public Governance and Legal Studies
Advancing Legal Literacy, Administrative Accountability, and Public Governance
The School of Public Governance and Legal Studies at Ziveka Online Campus is dedicated to cultivating a sound understanding of law, administrative procedures, and governance among professionals, public officers, and citizens who engage with legal and regulatory systems in their work and daily lives.
Introduction
A school for applied legal and governance literacy
“Legal knowledge is no longer the preserve of legal practitioners alone.”
Administrators, educators, consumer-facing professionals, records custodians, and public-sector employees are increasingly required to navigate legal frameworks, statutory procedures and institutional accountability mechanisms as part of their routine responsibilities. The school exists to meet this need by providing structured, academically grounded and practically oriented certificate programmes that develop competence in law and governance without requiring prior legal training.
Our Aim
The School of Public Governance and Legal Studies aims to:
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Equip working professionals with applied competence in legal compliance, procedural literacy, and governance accountability relevant to their sector.
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Support institutions — including schools, businesses, and public bodies — in meeting their statutory and regulatory obligations through appropriately trained personnel.
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Promote ethical, lawful, and accountable decision-making within public administration and institutional practice.
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Provide an accessible and structured pathway to legal and governance literacy for learners who do not hold, and do not require, a professional legal qualification.
Important academic status notice
The school programmes are certificate-level academic and professional development courses. They are designed to develop applied legal and governance literacy for administrative, institutional and civic contexts.
These certificates do not constitute a professional legal qualification or a pathway to admission as an Attorney-at-Law.
Areas of Study
Three interconnected areas of legal and governance practice
Our curriculum is organised around three interconnected areas of legal and governance practice.
01Citizen and Consumer Rights
Programmes in this area address the legal mechanisms available to individuals and consumers seeking redress, protection and access to information, an increasingly important field given the growth of e-commerce and digital service delivery.
View programmes
02Public Administration and Accountability
Programmes in this area examine the legal and procedural frameworks within which public administration operates, including the principles of lawful decision-making and the role of oversight bodies, such as the Ombudsman, in ensuring administrative accountability.
View programmes
03Legal Process and Institutional Safeguarding
Programmes in this area develop a practical understanding of legal case management, court procedures and the statutory safeguarding obligations that apply to institutions, particularly those responsible for the welfare of children and vulnerable persons.
View programmesCertificate Programmes
Six standalone certificates
Each certificate is designed as a standalone, self-contained qualification. Certificates within the same thematic stream may be combined to develop broader competence across a related area of practice.
Certificate
Certificate in Child Safeguarding Law and School Response Procedures
Statutory safeguarding obligations and legal compliance requirements for educational institutions
Legal Process and Institutional SafeguardingLKR 15,000 course fee
Certificate
Certificate in Consumer and E-Commerce Redress Navigation
Consumer protection law and dispute-resolution mechanisms in traditional and digital commerce
Citizen and Consumer RightsLKR 15,000 course fee
Certificate
Certificate in Court and Tribunal Case Administration
Foundational understanding of case management practice and court procedure
Legal Process and Institutional SafeguardingLKR 15,000 course fee
Certificate
Certificate in Public Complaints Handling and Grievance Redress
The role, powers, and procedures of the Ombudsman in administrative oversight
Public Administration and AccountabilityLKR 15,000 course fee
Certificate
Certificate in Administrative Law and Procedural Fairness for Public Officers
Principles and legal standards governing decision-making within public bodies
Public Administration and AccountabilityLKR 15,000 course fee
Certificate
Certificate in RTI Compliance and Public Records Practice
Legal frameworks for information access, records management, and data governance
Citizen and Consumer RightsLKR 15,000 course fee
What You Will Gain
Graduates of the School certificate programmes will gain:
Step 01
Structured academic grounding
A structured, academically grounded understanding of the legal and procedural frameworks relevant to their chosen area of study.
Step 02
Directly applicable knowledge
Applied knowledge that can be used directly in administrative, compliance, human resources, education, customer-service and public-sector roles.
Step 03
Institutional certificate
An institutional certificate of completion from Ziveka Online Campus for a programme developed under the guidance of qualified legal practitioners.
Step 04
Foundation for further study
A foundation for further study in law, public administration, or governance-related fields.
Who Should Enrol
Designed for professionals who meet the law in their daily work
- School administrators and educators responsible for safeguarding compliance
- Customer-service, e-commerce and consumer-affairs professionals
- Public officers and administrative staff
- Records managers, registry staff and information officers
- Individuals seeking a foundation in legal and governance literacy before undertaking further legal study
Faculty
Taught by practising lawyers
The school programmes are designed and delivered by a panel of legal practitioners who hold LL.B. (Hons) degrees and bring professional legal training and practical experience to the certificate curriculum. This approach helps to ensure that programme content is grounded in sound legal principles and reflects current practice within Sri Lanka’s legal and administrative systems.
- Notary Public and Commissioner for Oaths
Mr Chathuranga Ekanayake
Attorney-at-Law
- Notary Public and Commissioner for Oaths
- LL.B. (Hons), University of Colombo
- Notary Public and Commissioner for Oaths
Ms Samanmalie Karunarathna
Attorney-at-Law
- LL.B. (Hons), University of Colombo
- Notary Public and Commissioner for Oaths
- LL.B. (Hons), University of Peradeniya
Ms Sulari Wanigasinghe
Attorney-at-Law
- LL.B. (Hons), University of Peradeniya
- LL.B., University of Colombo
- Notary Public and Commissioner for Oaths
Mrs Sashika Weerasooriya
Attorney-at-Law
- LL.B., University of Colombo
- Notary Public and Commissioner for Oaths
A School of Ziveka Online Campus
Build Practical Legal & Governance Literacy
Our certificate programmes are designed for professionals, administrators and citizens who need a practical understanding of the legal and governance frameworks that shape institutional life — without requiring prior legal training.