DBA Alumni Association strives to connect Industry and Academia

Standing from left: Committee Member Dr. P.A. Chamal Hasaranga, Asst. Secretary Dr. V. Samantha Matharaarachchi, Student Association President Christine Mendis, Vice President Dr. Dinuka Pattikiriarachchi, Asst. Treasurer Dr. Dilshan Samarasekara

Seated from left: Secretary Dr. Anusha Liyanage, Treasurer Prof. B. Nishantha, Faculty of Management and Finance Dean Prof. Nihal Hennayake, University of Colombo Vice Chancellor Snr. Prof. H.D. Karunaratne, DBA Coordinator Prof. Tharusha Gooneratne and President Dr. Lasantha Wickremesooriya

DBA Alumni Association President Dr. Lasantha Wickremesooriya 

•  Doctor of Business Administration program launches an Alumni Association
• Alumni Association focuses on driving innovation and growth by facilitating dialogue between academia and industry stakeholders
• Huge milestone for the University of Colombo, placing it on a course towards innovation

By Janani Kandaramage

The Doctor of Business Administration Colombo Alumni Association (DBA) was formally inaugurated yesterday by the Faculty of Management and Finance at the University of Colombo, aimed at igniting a powerful network of scholars, business leaders, and innovators who have previously undertaken the DBA program.

In his opening address, Colombo University faculty of Management and Finance Dean Prof. Nihal Hennayake said this association is not just an academic achievement but is a commitment to lifelong learning, leadership, and impact.

“It serves as the bridge between theory and practice, knowledge and world application between industry persons and academic experts. Those who undertake this do not merely study business, they reshape it. They do not just embrace leadership, they embody it. Today we take the remarkable opportunity to celebrate the remarkable individuals who have emerged as trailblazers in their field. This establishment is more than a ceremonial event. It is the beginning of a very powerful movement. A movement that will encourage research and collaboration focused on reshaping the future of DBA scholars,” he opined.

The DBA Alumni Association was established to drive research and innovation in the finance sector by connecting current DBA candidates with accomplished alumni and various stakeholders of the industry.

Speaking about the organisation’s intent, Alliance Finance Company Non -Independent Non-Executive and DBA Alumni Association President Dr. Lasantha Wickremesooriya said: “By bridging the divide between industry and academia via engagement with the larger society, we wish to promote knowledge-sharing, and industry based dialogues, while ensuring everyone’s concerns are addressed and that their needs and wants remain at the core of our association’s values.”

Highlighting the values that will define any action undertaken by the organisation, Wickremesooriya spoke of the necessity of integrating diversity, inclusivity, independence and integrity within the framework. He emphasised that by encouraging a varying number of business stakeholders-including employees, managers, and academic experts to collaborate and offer guidance- the private sector can evolve from solely pursuing profit to creating shared value for all.

“The DBA Alumni Association mission remains to broaden our network in the next five years, which will eventually broaden our thinking as we gain multiple insights. This will enable our vision of enhanced value and corporate social responsibility to materialise itself via collaborative partnerships, impactful research and lifelong learning of the precedence of economic value over profit maximisation. The DBA, therefore, uses the various inputs or perspectives from society to provide an output that benefits that same society,” he noted.

University of Colombo Professor in Entrepreneurship B. Nishantha spoke of the need to commit to business model innovations in addition to product innovations. He said that unlike other fields, the business sector operates in a dynamic environment, necessitating continuous alterations and improvements to existing economic systems to remain competitive.

Other notable figures that graced the occasion include University of Colombo Vice Chancellor Senior Prof. H.D. Karunaratne, DBA Program Coordinator Prof. Tharusha Gooneratne, and Hayleys Advantis Ltd. Managing Director Ruwan Waidyaratne.

The University of Colombo’s Faculty of Management and Finance is committed to pursue excellence in research, teaching, and community service, while making all efforts to be the centre of excellence for management and finance education in Sri Lanka. In line with this objective the faculty restructured its academic programs which would make accessible to students such different fields of studies as Accounting, Business Economics, Finance, Human Resource Management (HRM), Management and Organisational Studies, International Business, and Marketing. This restructuring was planned with a philosophy of emphasising disciplinary rigor, business practicality and skill development.

The DBA program consists of spirited discussions, research opportunities, and close collaboration with lecturers focused on elevating the learning experience with a greater emphasis on real-world application. With a unique blend of academic rigour and practical insights, the DBA program provides a gateway to becoming a global business leader with qualifications tailored to international standards. By facilitating cooperation with alumni and now industry leaders and professionals, not only will the university be steered towards business innovation, but the country will be set on a path towards growth and development in generations to come.