The workshop titled ‘From Misconceptions to Mastery: Film Marketing’ was held on January 21, 2026, at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Social Sciences. Organized by the Department of Mass Communication, University of Kelaniya, the event served as a vital platform for exploring the evolving landscape of film promotion.

The workshop featured two distinguished resource persons: Professor Finola Kerrigan from the University of Birmingham, and Lecturer Ileka Ruwanpathirana from the University of Kelaniya.
Professor Kerrigan delivered an insightful lecture on the core concepts of film marketing, emphasizing its critical importance and diverse applications within the international film landscape. Following this, Lecturer Ruwanpathirana addressed the practical challenges and nuances of implementing film marketing strategies within the local Sri Lankan industry.
As one of the first discussions of its kind in Sri Lanka, the event bridged the gap between academia and the professional film industry. The workshop successfully met its objectives of fostering newfound interest and encouraging engaging discourse among attendees.
The event saw a diverse turnout, including film and media students, industry professionals, and enthusiasts, creating a rich environment for sharing knowledge, insights, and experiences. Also in attendance were the Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Senior Lecturer Dr Manoj Jinadasa, and several other members of the academic staff.

The project titled ‘Parapuraṭa Haňdak’, organised by the second-year students of the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Mass Communication degree programme offered by the Department of Mass Communication, University of Kelaniya, under the subject unit ‘Social Work’, was successfully concluded on 9 January 2026.

As part of the project, a fully equipped Media Unit was established and handed over to the students of Wijaya Katupotha Maha Vidyalaya in the Arachchikattuwa Education Division of the Chilaw Education Zone, Puttalam District, North Western Province.

The event was graced by Dr Manoj Jinadasa, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Mass Communication, along with Senior Lecturer Dr Mangala Pasqual, Senior Lecturer Wijayananda Rupasinghe, Senior Lecturer Darshana Sampath Somarathne, Senior Lecturer Dineesha Liyanage, Lecturer Ayesh Wijayasinghe, Assistant Lecturer Sudesh Abeynayake, Assistant Lecturer Sewwandi Hansika, Assistant Lecturer Nipuni Bhagya, Assistant Lecturer Janani Pamodya, and Ms. Ayesha Wickramasinghe, Divisional Secretary of Arachchikattuwa.

During the occasion, a range of technical equipment and furniture were donated to establish the Media Unit, including an AMD Ryzen 5 3400G Tray Processor, Memory Ghost ON900 256GB NVMe SSD, Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM, MSI A520M Pro Micro ATX Motherboard, Gamdias Aura GP550 550W Power Supply, Golden Field 99A Mid Tower Casing, Unbrand Triple Ring RGB Fan Kit, Lenovo L22-4e 21.5" FHD IPS 100Hz Monitor, Snowman M120 CPU Air Cooler, Imice GK490 4-in-1 Gaming Combo (Keyboard, Mouse, Headset, Mousepad), LB Link WN151 Wi-Fi Adapter 150 Mbps, Cee-tron Table, typist chair, sigiri chair, wall clock, multi cord, Kingston Unit, computer table, and a computer cupboard.

The opening ceremony of the Media Unit was held with great enthusiasm and was attended by the Principal, teachers, students, and parents of Wijaya Katupotha Maha Vidyalaya. The Principal of the school also addressed the gathering, expressing appreciation for the valuable contribution made by the Department of Mass Communication, University of Kelaniya.

Furthermore, a Media Literacy Workshop was conducted on 8 January 2026 with the aim of developing students’ understanding of media practices. Three sessions were held under this programme. Assistant Lecturer Sudesh Abeynayake conducted the first session on ‘Introduction to the Functioning of a Media Unit and Team Roles’. The second session titled ‘Content Creation (Photo, Video & News Writing)’ was conducted by Ms. Theresha Lakshmi and Mr. Jeewantha Chandeepa, second-year undergraduates of the degree programme. The third session on ‘Script Writing and Voice Modulation for Announcing’ was conducted by Ms. Idusha Asinsani, also a second-year undergraduate.

A felicitation ceremony honouring Professor Wimal Dissanayake, one of the founding lecturers of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Kelaniya, was held on 16 January 2026 at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

The ceremony, organised by the Department of Mass Communication, was graced by the presence of Professor Wimal Dissanayake and his beloved wife, Dorin Dissanayake, who joined the event via Zoom.

The event was held under the patronage of Senior Professor Nilanthi de Silva, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya.

Four keynote lectures were delivered by distinguished academics. Emeritus Professor Kulatilaka Kumarasinghe delivered a lecture titled “An Introduction to Prof. Wimal Dissanayake’s Literary Career.” Chandrasiri Rajapaksha spoke on “The Legacy of Prof. Wimal Dissanayake in Communication,” while Senior Lecturer Chinthaka Ranasinghe discussed “Prof. Wimal Dissanayake’s Contribution to Literary Criticism.” Dr Manoj Jinadasa delivered a lecture titled “The Global Brand of Asian Communication: Prof. Wimal Dissanayake.”

Key highlights of the event included the screening of a short documentary on Professor Dissanayake and the official presentation of the felicitation volume to the Vice-Chancellor. In addition, a souvenir was launched in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Department of Mass Communication.

The event was further graced by the presence of Professor M. M. Gunatilake, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences; Dr. Sudath Senarath, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities; Emeritus Professor Sunanda Mahendra; Senior Professor Swarna Ihalagama, Head of the Department of Sinhala; Ven. Professor Nedalagamuwe Dhammadinna Thero, Head of the Department of Modern  Languages; Dr Manoj Jinadasa, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Mass Communication; Chair and Senior Professor Nimal Mallawarachchi; Ven. Professor Malwane Chandrarathana Thero; Professor Gunawardana Nanayakkara; Professor Jinadasa Danansuriya; and Professor Herath Madana Bandara, along with other lecturers of the department.

Also in attendance were Mr Indika Jayaratne, Director of Research Training and Foreign Relations at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC); Heads of the Faculties of Social Sciences and Humanities; and academic staff members and students of the Department of Mass Communication.

Furthermore, Dr Ajantha Hapuarachchi, Professor Sunethra Kankanamge, and other lecturers from the Departments of Sinhala and Mass Communication of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura; the Department of Communication and Creative Arts, Sri Palee Campus; the University of Peradeniya; and Nagananda University of Kelaniya participated in the event. Senior Lecturer Senaka Senevirathna, Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Nagananda International Institute of Buddhist Studies; Dr. Sunil Sarath Perera; Mohan Dharmarathna; Uvidu Kumarathunga; as well as alumni members of the Department of Mass Communication were also present. 

“Sannasa 2025,” the cultural show organized by the second-year students of the BA Honours in Public Relations and Media Management degree programme offered by the Department of Mass Communication, University of Kelaniya, was successfully held on 6 January 2026 at the Sri Dharmaloka Hall of the University.

Held under the theme “Tracing the Journey of Sri Lankan Public Relations,” the event was organized in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the BA Honours in Public Relations and Media Management degree programme at the University of Kelaniya.

The main objectives of the event were to celebrate a decade of the degree programme and to raise social and student awareness of the field of public relations.

The event was colourful, with the full support and contributions of all departments and the Arts Council of the University of Kelaniya. The programme featured a variety of performances that creatively showcased the evolution of public relations and highlighted its contemporary significance.

The event was graced by Professor Uda Hettige, Chairman of the Arts Council; Dr Manoj Jinadasa, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Mass Communication; Senior Lecturer Saman Rajapaksha, Director of the Communication and Media Unit; members of the academic staff of the Department of Mass Communication; and students of the University of Kelaniya.