Senior Professor Liyanage appointed as VC of USJ

Senior Professor Sudantha Liyanage, who was appointed the Vice-chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura by President, assumed duties on Wednesday. Present on the occasion were Chancellor of USJ and Mahanayake of Kotte Sri Kalayani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha of Siyam Maha Nikaya Ven. Dr. Ittapana Dhammalankara Maha Nayake Maha Thero, University Grants Commission’s Chairman Prof. Sampath Amaratunga, Deputy Chairman Prof. Janitha Liyanage, family members, academics and non-academics of USJ.

Prof. Liyanage was appointed as the Acting Vice-chancellor of USJ in January 2020 whilst functioning as Dean of the Faculty of Technology, USJ.

An old boy of Thurstan College, Colombo, Prof. Liyanage obtained his BSC. (Hons.) in Chemistry from the Faculty of Applied Science, USJ and his PHD from the Cardiff University of Wales, UK. He is also a Chartered Chemist, in addition to being a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon and Fellow of Plastic and Rubber Institute Sri Lanka. He has obtained several Post-doctoral qualifications from the Cardiff University of Wales, University of Adelaide, Australia and Ibaraki University, Japan. With his appointment as the Vicechancellor, Prof. Liyanage is the first alumnus Vicechancellor from the Faculty of Applied Science.

He has been a key member of two Presidential Task Forces (Task Force of Education and Task Force of Higher Education) since December 2019 and has provided significant input to develop the electoral system of the country since 2009.

Prof. Liyanage has over 50 research papers to his name published in highranking national and international journals. He has authored several books, monographs and essays.

His views on nationally important matters have been featured in over 50 newspaper articles. Prof. Liyanage remains a key influencer in Sri Lanka ever committed to the task of building and developing his mother nation.