The Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo launched the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme in 2019. Over these several years, a number of students have gained the Alumni status and many more are steering towards the same important milestone. Hence initiating a very timely step, the DBA Colombo Alumni Association was inauguratedon 30th January 2025. This event was gracedby a large, distinguished gathering representing the academic and industry community, DBA graduates and doctoral students. Professor Nihal Hennayake, Dean of the Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo delivered the welcome address.
The Chief Guest at the event, Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Senior Professor H.D. Karunaratne, in his address emphasised on the importance of delivering quality higher education and engaging in impactful research that will be of value to society. He announced that the University of Colombo had been awarded as the most innovative university in Sri Lanka producing over 5,000 innovations across different faculties, some of which have already been commercialised and now available in the marketplace.
Sharing further insights, Professor B. Nishantha, Coordinator of the Postgraduate and Mid-Career Development Unit, stated that the association will serve as a platform for meaningful connections, knowledge-sharing, and transformative opportunities. DBA Programme Coordinator, Professor Tharusha Gooneratne expressed sentiments that theassociation would be a vital step towardsstrengthening the relationship between academia, industry, and policymakers, bridging the critical gap between theory and practice.
Inaugural Alumni President, Dr. Lasantha Wickremesooriya unveiled the strategy of the association, where the strategic intent was to pursue “promoting and leading the future of industry focused research debates and dialogues by bringing together multiple stakeholders”. He articulated the importance of bringing together multiple stakeholders to discuss common research agendas that would drive innovation and growth in industries and thereby contributing to the wellbeing of the nation. The strategy will be executed under four strategic pillars, namely, promoting collaborative partnerships, amplifying the industrial impact, transforming the research experience and lifelong learning through a multiple stakeholder approach.
Ruwan Waidyaratne, Managing Director at Hayleys Advantis Limited and Advisor to the DBA Colombo Alumni Association, speaking on behalf of the industry, highlighted the importance of the knowledge worker in today’s context to drive business performance, where data driven decisions played a crucial role. To do so, he acknowledged the criticality of evidence-based decision making through scientific research. The DBA Colombo Alumni, he stated, could take this leadership role to make it a reality.The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Anusha Liyanage, Secretary of the Alumni Association.
Combining academic rigour and practitioner relevance, through research excellence, industry collaboration, and leadership development, the DBA programme at the University of Colombo is geared towards real-world business issues and serves as a gateway to global business success.
The Faculty of Management and Finance remains committed to academic excellence, research, and community impact, continuously evolving to offer specialised programmes at the diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
By strengthening alumni collaboration and industry partnerships, this initiative will not only drive business innovation but also contribute to Sri Lanka’s economic growth and support business leaders.
