Prof. Sampath Amaratunge appointed UGC Chairman

Friday, 3 January 2020 00:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Highly respected academic Prof. Sampath Amaratunge has been appointed as the new Chairman of the University Grants Commission by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Prof. Sampath Amaratunge

He was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka and the Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Directors.

Prof. Amaratunge is considered as a visionary and builder of organisations, an astute university administrator, an academic par-excellence, and a renowned business consultant and humanist.

He obtained his BA (Hons.) in Economics from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, MA in Economics from the University of Colombo, MSc. in Economics of Rural Development from Saga National University, and Ph.D. from Kogoshima National University in Japan.

He counts near 30 years’ service in the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in multiple roles, including twice as Vice Chancellor and Dean, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (2008-2014). He spearheaded the setting-up of two new Faculties of Study, Engineering and Technology, to the already existing cluster of five (Faculties of Arts and Humanities, Management Studies and Commerce, Applied Sciences, Medicine and Graduate Studies).

An authority in Rural Economic Development, Professor Amaratunge has won several awards including the prestigious Research Excellence Award (2002) of the Kyushu Society of Rural Economics, Japan. He has over 75 refereed publications to his credit, both locally and internationally.

Professor Amaratunge is a pragmatic intellectual of many parts. He served with distinction as Chairman, Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) of Sri Lanka (2009 – 2012) and had the honour of being the youngest appointed member of the University Grants Commission (2010), and held key positions in several state commissions of importance.

He is an old boy of Ananda College and functioned as President, Sri Lanka University Sports Association (2009-2010).