New UGC Chairman assumed duties on January 3
View(s):Senior Prof. Sampath Amaratunga assumed duties as the new University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman on January 3.
Prior to his appointment as UGC Chairman by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sr. Prof. Amaratunga was the University of Sri Jayewardenepura Vice-Chancellor.
He was twice appointed as the Vice-Chancellor. During his time, he was responsible for the inception of three new faculties: The Faculty of Technology, the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences.
He was also responsible for laying the foundation of the Faculty of Urban and Aquatic Bio Resources.
Prof. Amaratunge gained his BA (Hons.) in Economics from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, his MA in Economics from the University of Colombo, his MSc. in Economics of Rural Development from Saga National University and his PhD from Kagoshima National University in Japan.
An authority in Rural Economic Development, Prof. Amaratunge has won several awards including the prestigious Research Excellence Award of the Kyushu Society of Rural Economics, Japan in 2002. He has over 75 local and international refereed publications to his credit.