The Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Kelaniyamarked a significant milestone with the launch of its inaugural Dean’s List Award Ceremony, held on May 30, 2025, at the Faculty Board Room. The event was organized by the Faculty Quality Assurance Cell (QAC) to honor and celebrate academic excellence among its student body.

The prestigious Dean’s List recognizes students who have demonstrated exceptional academic performance throughout the academic year. A total of 136 students from across the faculty’s departments were awarded for their outstanding achievements.

The ceremony was graced by the presence of Professor M. M, Gunatilake, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences; Heads of Departments; members of the Faculty QAC Committee; and students. Delivering the keynote address, the Dean emphasized the importance of celebrating academic merit, noting that “the Dean’s List is more than a certificate—it's a symbol of hard work, consistency, and academic excellence.”

This new initiative reflects the Faculty’s ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of quality, achievement, and student-centered education. By institutionalizing the Dean’s List, the Faculty of Social Sciences aims to inspire and motivate students to pursue excellence in their academic journeys.

The Dean’s List Award Ceremony will be held annually, serving as a cornerstone of recognition within the Faculty’s academic calendar.

Dr. Manoj Jinadasa has officially assumed duties as the new Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, effective May 20, 2025. The formal appointment was conferred by Senior Professor Nilanthi De Silva, Vice-Chancellor of the University, during a ceremony held at the Vice-Chancellor's office.

 To commemorate this significant occasion, a traditional pirith chanting ceremony was held at the Department premises, with the participation of a number of Buddhist monks, including the Most Venerable Maha Thero Koswaththe Ariyawimala, as well as other high-ranking monks who serve in the University as professors and occupy leading academic and administrative positions. Academic and non-academic staff members were also present, including Professor M. M. Gunatilake, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences; Professor Sunanda Madduma Bandara, Former Vice-Chancellor; and other deans and heads from the Faculties of Medicine, Science, Commerce and Management, and Graduate Studies, along with former Heads of the Department and current departmental staff.

Dr. Jinadasa brings extensive expertise as a Senior Lecturer specializing in strategic communication, digital media, and public relations. His professional portfolio includes consultancy roles with prestigious international development organizations, such as ITDG-UK and the World Bank’s Gemi Diriya project. His scholarly research spans diverse fields, including critical digital network media theory, masculinity and media, creative community development, gender studies, LGBTIQ+ issues, sexual health, higher education policy, and media psychology.

Throughout his distinguished academic career, Dr. Jinadasa has made substantial contributions to curriculum development in Sri Lanka’s higher education sector, pioneering the introduction of critical subject areas such as Public Relations, International Public Relations, Soft Power and Communication, and Media Psychology. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Digital Media and Critical Cultural Studies from Newcastle University, United Kingdom, along with multiple postgraduate qualifications in Indian Classical Music, Psychology, Translation Studies, and Research Methodologies.

A recipient of both Commonwealth and Presidential Postgraduate Scholarships, Dr. Jinadasa has authored 13 scholarly books and published nearly 25 academic articles in peer-reviewed journals, as well as 65 national and international conference papers. He has delivered presentations at prestigious international academic institutions, including Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, India, Harvard University, the University of Oxford, the University of California, San Diego (USA), Newcastle University, and the University of Leicester (UK).

Dr. Jinadasa has actively engaged in academic discussions and dialogues with Professor Wimal Dissanayake (University of Hawaiʻi, USA), Professor Shelton Gunaratne (University of Minnesota, USA), and Professor Naren Chitty (Macquarie University, Australia; and Westminster University, UK) on a wide spectrum of media and communication disciplines, ranging from aesthetics, language, media philosophy to soft power and communication rationality.

Dr. Jinadasa maintains active affiliations with several prominent international academic bodies, including the International Communication Association (ICA), the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR), and the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC). Currently, he serves as a co-investigator on an international research initiative examining education and masculinity in Sri Lanka, based at Newcastle University, under the supervision of Reader Dr. Chris Haywood—an eminent scholar in Critical Masculinity Studies and globally recognized as a former Chair of the American Men’s Studies Association.

Renowned academic and Springer Nature Editor, Dr. Uday Chatterjee, delivered an engaging and informative session on “Key Insights, Hints and Tips for Research Paper and Book Publication with Springer” at the University of Kelaniya on April 29, 2025. The event was organised by the Research Centre for Social Sciences (RCSS), Faculty of Social Sciences, and was held at the Faculty Board Room.

Dr. Chatterjee, who serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, Bhatter College, Dantan (Vidyasagar University), West Bengal, India, is also an Editor and Book Series Editor at Springer Nature. His session offered valuable guidance on the step-by-step process of publishing with Springer, submission protocols and manuscript preparation, understanding copyright, royalties, and Open Access policies, and expanding global publishing opportunities for scholars, with a focus on increased contributions from South Asian academics.

The event commenced with a Welcome Address by Professor A. G. Amarasinghe, Director of RCSS and a special address was delivered by Professor M. M. Gunatilake, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, highlighting the pivotal role of academic publishing in knowledge dissemination and institutional visibility.

Following the session, Dr. Uday Chatterjee paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, Senior Professor Nilanthi de Silva, on April 30, 2025. Held at the Vice-Chancellor’s office, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss future academic collaborations and to strengthen ties between the University of Kelaniya and international publishing platforms such as Springer Nature. Moreover, the occasion was graced by the presence of Professor A. G. Amarasinghe. 

The Department of Political Science has decided to award a gold medal to the best academic performing student of the Political Science honours degree programme in each academic year at the University's general convocation. This gold medal is awarded in memory of the late Professor Kamal Karunanayak, who was an eminent scholar in Political Science and Economics in Sri Lanka.

Prof. Kamal Karunanayake, as Professor and the head of the department (1999-2002), initiated several programmes to enhance the academic level of the department at the national and international levels. Further, Prof. Karunanayake has extended his service as a researcher,  scholar and a consultant in several national and international institutions.

As an initiative stage, the wife of Prof. Kamal Karunanayake, Mrs. Kusum Karunanayake, offered a financial donation to the University on the 28th of April 2025 at the Vice Chancellor’s office to award the gold medal annually.

Further, a felicitation volume for Prof. Kamal Karunanayake was also launched on the same day. This felicitation volume was edited by the department editorial board, headed by the Senior Lecturer Mrs. Yamuna Niranjanee Mendis.

Senior Prof. Nilanthi R. de Silva, Vice Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya; Prof. M. M. Gunathilake, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences; Prof. Osantha N. Thalpawila, Head of the Department of Political Science; Mrs. Kusum Karunanayake; and the academic staff of the Department of Political Science joined graced the  occasion.