UoC Alumni Association felicitates new Vice-Chancellor

University of Colombo Alumni Association Secretary Ruwandi Thanthrige, UGC Chairman Prof Mohan De Silva, University of Colombo Vice Chancellor Prof Laksman Dissanayake, University of Colombo Alumni Association President Rajeev Amarasuriya, State Minister of University Education Mohan Lal Grero, University of Colombo Alumni Association Vice President Suranjani Wickramarathne, University of Colombo Alumni Association Treasurer J M S Bandara

By Waruni Paranagamage

The Alumni Association of the University of Colombo (UoC) felicitated a newly appointed Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Lakshman Dissanayake, at the College House Senate Hall recently. 

Prof. Dissanayake was formerly a Senior Professor at the Department of Demography at the UoC and has won many awards for his research in Migration, Population Health, Reproductive Health and Population Ageing. 

The felicitating ceremony was graced by State Minister of University Education Mohan Lal Grero, University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof. Mohan De Silva, Chamindrani Kiriella on behalf of the Minister of University Education and Highways Lakshman Kiriella and association members of the Alumni.

Addressing the felicitating ceremony Prof. Dissanayake asserted that he would use his 40 years of working experience as a University lecturer to overcome the challenges in his post.

“We have lost many traditions in the University. I spent a considerable time in the playground when I was an undergraduate. I did many extra curricula activities as well but I never lost sight of why I was in University,” he said. 

Dissanayake emphasised that undergraduates should develop their soft skills parallel to academic skills to seize job market opportunities. He noted that students should use available resources at the University to develop their academic and professional skills.  

“There is no issue with knowledge transfer to students from teachers. Actually, there is more to do in developing a student’s soft skills and personality. The leadership skills do not coming naturally, so students need to garner them – we need to produce employable graduates,” Dissanayake added.

He revealed that the Career Guidance Unit of the University would help students plan their professional life and that he plans to establish a Service Centre, Media Unit and a Faculty for Technology studies at the UoC, to expand facilities to undergraduates.  

“I have many development plans to implement in the next three years at the University – this includes making the University premises a greener environment. Disabled undergraduates need better access facilities and overall I will make the hostels a very decent place and develop sanitation facilities as well,” Dissanayake added.   

Speaking about the quality of teaching at the Universities, Dissanayake asserted that Lecturers should enjoy the learning process, in order to make students enjoy their studies. Professor Dissanayake added that the central administration of the UoC has been politicised and that he will attempt to make the University a ‘non-political, academic institute’.  

Pix by Bhanuka Kirinde