Quick Facts
Biography
Sampath Amaratunge (born 1 November 1964) is the Chairman of the University Grants Commission Sri Lanka (UGC). He was appointed as the Chairman by President Gotabaya Rajapakse on the 2 January 2020, assuming the role on the 3 January 2020. Amaratunge was previously the Vice chancellor at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lankaand the Chairman of theCommittee of Vice Chancellors and Directors (CVCD). He was elected as a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities United Kingdom as a member representing the constituency II.
Amaratunge has held a variety of leadership positions, he was the Vice Chancellor appointed by the president of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka for the University of Sri Jayewardenepura without considering those appointed as Acting Vice Chancellors of the said university in the last 60 years. His two terms of Vice-Chancellorship has resulted in noteworthy changes for the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. the University has expanded with three new faculties under his leadership: Faculty of Technology; Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Allied Health Sciences.
Early life and career
He was born 1 November 1964 at Battaramulla, Sri Lanka, close to Diyawanna (Western Province) to Priyadarshani Atthanayake and Sarath Chandrasiri Perera Ameratunge. He is an old boy at Ananda College Colombo, enrolled in 1970. He entered the University to pursue a B. A in Economics at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 1990. He began his career as a lecturer in 1993 at the same University. In 1994 he was able to obtain his Masters in Economics from the University of Colombo. He was later awarded a scholarship from the SAGA National University, Japan where he completed his Msc. in Rural Economics in the year 2000. He completed his PhD in Rural Economics at the Kagoshima National University, Japan in 2003. Upon returning to Sri Lanka, he once again resumed duties at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. He was then made the Head of the Department of Business economics, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce which he took the initiative of creating. He progressed in his career to become the Dean of the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 2008. In 2009 he was made Professor of Business Economics. He continued his position as Dean of the Faculty till November 2014 when he became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Dean
Appointed as Deanof the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 2008 he was responsible for many changes that took place, among which are the establishment of departments, centers and programmes and units. He introduced the Department of Entrepreneurship, Computer Resource Centre, a PhD programme, the Business Communication Unit, and established a Legal Unit linking Management studies with lawduring his tenure as the Dean.
Furthermore, he founded the faculty journal Management Review and was made the "change agent" in 1993 of International Conference on Business Management (ICBM). He was also responsible for the introduction of the faculty symposium, which is now held twice a year in the faculty. To create a stable environment where development can take place, he introduced a Faculty Development Fund to develop the resources, equipment and the infrastructure of the university.
Vice-chancellor
Amaratunge is currently the twice-appointed vice-chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. He first assumed duties as the vice-chancellor in November 2014 appointed by the former president Hon. Mahinda Rajapakse. In November 2017 he was re-appointed as vice chancellor to serve a second term by the former president Hon. Maithripala Sirisena. During his first term he formulated two new faculties for the University of Sri Jayewardenepura: The Faculty of Engineering (2016) , Faculty of Technology (2016). In his second term he formulated the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences . At present necessary measures have been taken to develop the 9th Faculty of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura under Ameratunge's leadership: Faculty of Urban and Aquatic Bio-resources
He introduced a number of new departments including: Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Department of Sociology, Department of Anthropology, Department of English Language Teaching, Department of Philosophy and Psychology, Department of Sports Science,Department of Allied Health Science, Department of Polymer Science, etc.
He further revamped the Research and Publication Committee of the University to the level of a Council with twenty five research centers:
1. Centre for Water Quality and Algae Research
2. Centre for Advanced Materials Research
6. Centre for Management Studies & Commerce Research
7. Centre for Multi-disciplinary Research
8. Interdisciplinary Centre for Innovation in Biotechnology and Neurosciences
10. Centre for Forestry and Environment
11. Innovation Centre for Robotics & Intelligent System (RIS)- Faulty of Applied Sciences
12. Apple research & Development Centre
13. Centre for Estate Management and Valuation, Research and Professional Development Centre (EMVRPC)
14. National Center for Primary Care and Allergy Research – NCPCAR
15. Centre for Governance and Public Policy
16. Plant Materials and Herbal Products Research Centre
17. Centre for Instrument facility
18. Centre for Ecosphere Resilience Research
19. Non Communicable Disease Research Centre
20. Centre for Polymer Science
21. Centre for Mindfulness Based Research
22.Centre for Advanced Forensic Research
23. Centre for marine Science and Technology
24. The Centre for Scientific Computing and Advanced Drug Discovery
25. Research Centre for Geophysics and Geodesy
In 2018, He founded the Invention Innovation and Venture Creation Council (IIVCC) at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura to bridge the link between the University and the industry. At present the IIVCC has 50 start-ups registered and over 15 patent holders. The IIVCC operates as a council where students and staff work collaboratively to develop new inventions and innovations. In early 2019 an exhibition was organized: 'Innovate 2019' to showcase the inventions, innovations and ventures created by the students and staff of the university/
He has also signed more than 60 MoU's collaborating with many locally and internationally acclaimed institutes. The hostel occupancy of the University has been increased by over 50% and several infrastructural developments have been made. He has also taken initiatives to provide facilities to obtain PhDs for the academic staff during three years by 133% (223 PhDs as 2014 and 297 PhDs at 2017). To ensure the continued development of the university, he Introduced Strategic Plan for the correct direction of the University.
CVCD Chairman
Amaratunge was appointed chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Directors for the year 2019.
Representative ACU of Constituency II
He was elected as a member representing the constituency II of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) in 2019. The constituency II comprise of the following countries: Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka
Contribution to Higher Education System in the Country
He was the youngest member to be made a Commission Member of the University Grants Commission, a local governing body of Higher Education System in Sri Lanka. He was appointed to this position by the former President of the country, Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2010.
He was also the Chairman of Federation of University Teachers' Associations (FUTA) and the University Teacher's Association, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (UTA/SJP) from 2009-2012. As a result of his leadership the academics received an increment of 36.25% by the Commission circular No. 975 dated 13.01.2012 on their salaries after 17 years with minimum disruption to academic procedures in Universities. During his time as the Head of FUTA, Ameratunge received a number of death threats with regard to measures taken to obtain said increment
Awards
In recognition for his services to the society and Buddhism as a religion he was awarded two Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) His contribution was acknowledged first by the Dharma Buddhist Institute Malaysia where he was awarded for his contribution to society and Buddhism in 2017. Hewas also presented with an honorary degree (Sammanopadhiya) an equivalent of a D.Litt. by the unanimous agreement of the Vidyadara Sabhava of the Vidyodaya Pirivena, Maligakanda on the occasion of the 107th commemoration of the Most Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thero was conducted on 4th May 2018 at the Maligakanda Vidyodaya Pirivena.
Service as a Strategic Partner in National Level Strategic decisions
He was made a commission member of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Sri Lanka in 2013 and was also made a commission member of the Country's Pay Commission by the former president Hon. Mahinda Rajapakse in 2013.
Sports
As an avid sportsman from the time he was at school, he continued his sports upon entering the University as an undergraduate. As an undergraduate he initiated the creation of the first Cricket team in the university and was repeatedly awarded the best sportsman award at the university Colours Night.
Upon joining the academia, he contributed to developing the sports section of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and the sports of all state universities in the country. During his term (2004-2008) as the president of the Sports Advisory Board of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, he was able to construct the University Swimming pool which is one of the largest in the country with the donation of the then President of the country; Hon. Mahinda Rajapakse.
He was appointed the president of the Sri Lanka University Sports Association (SLUSA) in 2008. In his term of one year he organized a Mini Olympic Games at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura is now recognized for its superior sportsmanship. During his term as the vice chancellor, he took measures to upgrade the university's Physical Education Unit to the ‘Department of Sports Science’. He has introduced various schemes to support students of the university to participate in sports without a financial burden.
Under his leadership the University has become the champions of the University Games (Inter-University Competitions) for three consecutive years. It continued its winning streak in 2019 as well.
