BRIEF CV
Higher Education/ Academic Honours
• University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (1968): B.A. (Special/ Hons) (Economics)
• University of New England, Australia (1978): Master of Economics
• University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka (2002): D. Litt.
Shaping the Future of Sri Lanka
2002-2006: Vice Chairman of the National Academy for Political Education
2003- 2004: Member of the Executive Board of the UNESCO, Paris – Elected for 4 years with 141 Countries voting for his candidature
2001-2004: Cabinet Minister of Human Resource Development, Education & Cultural Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka
1994-2004: Member of Parliament for Colombo District
2001-2003: Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee for University Education
1993-2002: Director of National Academy for Political Education
2000-2001: Member of Public Accounts Committee of Parliament
1994-2001: Official Media Spokesman of the United National Party
1994-2001: Member of Parliamentary Consultative Committees on Education & Higher Education, Finance & Planning, and Science & Technology
Professional Career
1969-1994: Senior Lecturer (Economics), University of Sri Jayewardenepura
1983-1988: Vice Chancellor, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka
1979-1988: Director & Additional Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Employment (concurrently), Sri Lanka
1979-1988: Member of Rural Development Research & Training Council which implemented a rural development programme to enhance the quality of life of poor people through the “Change Agents” development strategy
Statemanship
1994-2003: General Secretary, Sri Lanka-Japan Parliamentary Association
1994-2003: Vice President, Sri Lanka-Korea Parliamentary Association
1993-1994: Governor, North Western Province, Sri Lanka
1993: Founder Chairman, Geological Survey & Mines Bureau of Sri Lanka
1989-1991: Ambassador for Sri Lanka in the Republic of Korea – Korea became the single largest foreign direct investor in Sri Lanka
1988-1989: Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Japan – Japan became the single largest bilateral donor to Sri Lanka during this time
Versatile Professionalism
2003-2004 Member of the Executive Board of UNESCO
2001-2004 Chairman, UNESCO National Commission (Sri Lanka)
1987-1988: General Secretary, Sri Lanka Economic Association & Founder Member
1986-1988: Member of the Board of Management, Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
1985-1986: Member of the Executive Council, Association of Commonwealth Universities, London
1985-1986: Chairman, Committee of Vice Chancellors & Directors of Sri Lanka
International Fellowships
1997 & 1998: Participant - two International workshops on conflict resolution held in Northern Ireland and in the Philippines organized by the London-based International Alert Organization
1997: Participant: Effective Communication workshop organized by Westminster Foundation held in London
1994, 1996, 1997: Overseas Study Tours on Political Education to Germany, Thailand, and Philippines arranged by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung of Germany
1993: Received Japan Foundation Fellowship (unable to accept due to national obligations)
1986: Fellowship on Multi-regional Higher Education Study in USA sponsored by the Government of the USA (International Visitor Program)
1982: Study tour on Vocational Education in Britain organised by the British Council and in Germany organized by the GTZ
1981: JICA Fellowship on Employment Promotion in Tokyo, Japan
1979: Study tour to the Republic of Korea to study Saemaul rural re-awakening Programme
1976: Awarded a Colombo Plan Fellowship by the Government of Australia for Postgraduate Studies
Representation of Sri Lanka
2003: Head of the Sri Lankan delegation to the Commonwealth Education Ministers’ Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland
2003: Head of Sri Lankan delegation to the UNESCO General Assembly, Paris
2002 & 2003: UNESCO Conferences on:
(i) Intangible Cultural Heritage in Istanbul, Turkey, 2002
(ii) Dialogue on Civilization in New Delhi, India, 2003
1986 & 2002: Member of the Sri Lankan delegation to the UN General Assembly
1991: Head of the Sri Lanka delegation & Chairman of the Adhoc Committee on Resolutions at the ESCAP Conference held in Seoul, Republic of Korea
1986: Member Sri Lanka delegation to the Cth Education Ministers’ Conference held in Nicosia in Cyprus
Publications
Papers Published / Presented during tenures as the Cabinet Minister of Human Resources Development, Education and Cultural Affairs of the Central Government of Sri Lanka:
- Second Republican Constitution of Sri Lanka (A critical analysis of the contribution of President JR Jayewardene in the constitutional development of Sri Lanka)
- New Economy – Inheriting a Decent Future for Sri Lanka (Outlines the priorities for Sri Lanka’s development effort)
- Unlearning – The Way Forward (Identifies certain cultural inhibitions that need to be shed fo development)
- Leadership of Professionals (Emphasizes the role of professionals)
- Good Governance and the Role of Professionals (Highlights the value of active involvement of professionals in the process of development)
- New Chapter in Afro-Asian Solidarity (Emphasizes the need to strengthen & broad-base efforts for greater cooperation & mutual support)
- On Improving Discipline in Schools (Focuses on ways to arrest the declining trends in discipline)
- Meaningful Alliances in Education (Underscores the importance of nongovernmental participation)
- Education Reforms in Retrospect and Prospects (Reviews past educational reforms and discusses future strategies)
- On Teachers’ Commitment (Identifies the role of teachers’ commitment in improving standards of education)
- Regaining Sri Lanka through a New Social Contract (Discusses the emergence of a new social relationship among communities of Sri Lanka in the effort to regain the country)
- Reviving the Sri Lankan Economy (Critical observations on the future role of the government and the constraints that needs to be overcome if the development effort is to succeed)
- Enhancing Competitiveness (Enumerates the strategies being implemented to endow the younger generation with IT skills, to improve national competitiveness, to enable leapfrogging into the e-world of opportunity)
NB. Publications as Vice-Chancellor, Academic & Diplomat are too numerous to be included here at the present
Newspaper Articles
NB: Please note that these are still being compiled.
“Pahalosvasarakata Pera Thotalanga Andhuru Nimeshayaka Nikmunu Sondhuru Minissu”, Lankadeepa, 23 Oct 2009, pg. 17: Reproduced on Sadaharitha
