The Ministry of Mass Media and Information plans to establish a Media Studies Institute in the next few months to produce media professionals who are endowed with the professional skills that the modern world needs, the government said. This institute is to be established in accordance with international standards to produce highly skilled media professionals as stated in the National Policy Framework of the President. A special discussion was held yesterday (15) at the Ministry of Mass Media and Information under the patronage of Minister Keheliya Rambukwella in this regard. The initial programme will be centered on the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute and the courses for the year 2021/2022 will be launched accordingly. It is proposed to establish this as a training institute for journalists covering all media including print, electronic and social media. It is to be set up as an independent body that can develop professional knowledge of the journalists in public and private media institutions. It has been proposed to establish this as an institute for higher education in the field of Media which also provides theoretical and practical training to the newcomers. It is planned to implement this as an independent institution by an Act of Parliament by 2023.