About the Event

HLA Community Weekend – Colombo and Negombo, Sri Lanka | 22nd and 23rd November 2026

Join us in the first HLA Community Weekend in Asia – Colombo, Sri Lanka 2026 in the vibrant city of Colombo, where Sri Lanka’s rich heritage, stunning coastal views, and warm hospitality provide the perfect setting for connection and growth. This special weekend offers the ideal opportunity to reflect, network, and strengthen our community. Across the two days, you’ll take part in:

  • Interactive workshops & leadership discussions to realign your goals for the year ahead
  • Exclusive sessions with Dr. Johann Malawana (Managing Director, HLA)
  • Cultural experiences celebrating Sri Lankan traditions, from exploring historic landmarks to enjoying local cuisine


Participants will also be awarded 12 CPD points for their involvement.

Colombo and Negombo’s dynamic energy and beautiful surroundings make them the perfect locations for a blend of professional development, community connection, and cultural immersion.

👉 Mark your calendars — we can’t wait to welcome you to Sri Lanka!

Date and time:

Arrival - Thursday 21st November 2026 by 4.00 pm

Departure - Saturday 23rd November 2026 by 5.00 pm

Dress code: 

Casual 

How to register:

Go to the 'Register here' section found on the left side panel and fill in the registration form to submit and confirm your participation.

Instructor

Dr Randika Goonatilleke

Dr Randika Goonatilleke is currently working as the Genito-Urinary Surgical and Administrative Medical Officer at Kings Hospital, Colombo, and a Medical Technology Consultant with a strong focus on health systems innovation and accessibility. With a background in Emergency Medicine, communicable disease prevention, and public health leadership, Randika has worked across both frontline emergency clinical care and community health systems, including leading district-level initiatives in Vavuniya to strengthen community-based healthcare programmes and chronic disease management.

An alumnus of the Healthcare Leadership Academy (HLA) Scholarship Programme, Randika brings a multidisciplinary perspective that bridges clinical practice, technology, and leadership.

Randika’s leadership philosophy centres on empathy, collaboration, and evidence-based decision-making. He believes effective healthcare leadership starts with curiosity and the courage to improve systems, not titles or seniority. His recent HLA project focuses on building an accessible mental health support platform across South Asia, connecting users to therapy, self-help resources, and community support.

Outside of clinical medicine, Randika is passionate about teaching budding new doctors as a medics academy tutor and mentoring emerging healthcare leaders, encouraging innovation, playing strategic board games with friends, and, of course, spending time with his Golden Retriever, Loki.

Organisation

The Healthcare Leadership Academy

The Healthcare Leadership Academy formed in response to demand from young clinicians and medical students to learn about leadership.

Founded by Dr Johann Malawana (Course Director), former leader of the Junior Doctor Dispute, and a team of like-minded professionals (Our Faculty and Assistant Course Directors) the Healthcare Leadership Academy launched on 20th December 2016.

HLA houses an exciting faculty from across the health sector and beyond. Their shared aim is to inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals and develop their understanding of leadership. Too often in healthcare, leadership is confused with management. Through a combination of mentoring, Socratic discussion, and philosophical exploration, HLA aims to inspire our scholars to change the world of healthcare, one small step at a time.

At a time when the world seems an ever more worrying place, it is important that the next generation of healthcare professionals truly understand how to motivate the people they work with in order to best look after the populations they serve.