Dr. S.C Thushara officially assumed duties as the Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, on 10 June 2026 at a ceremonial event held at the Dean’s Office of the Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies.

With over 20 years of experience as an Academic in Sri Lanka and Australia, Dr S. C. Thushara serves as a Senior Lecturer attached to the Department of Commerce and Financial Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya. Throughout his academic career, he has held several administrative positions at the University of Kelaniya.  He graduated with a First Class B.Com (Special) Degree from the University of Kelaniya. He later completed a Master of International Business (Honours) Degree at Griffith University, Australia, and an MSc in Finance with Distinction at Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom. He obtained his PhD in Economics from Griffith University, Australia. Dr Thushara has received numerous awards and prizes in recognition of his academic excellence at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Notably, he is a recipient of the Australian Leadership Award 2007 and Endeavour Postgraduate Award 2026 from the Australian Government.

In addition, Dr Thushara is an Associate Member of the Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka, through which he was awarded six Sri Lankan prizes, and is also a member of the Certified Management Accountants of Australia.

The ceremony was graced by the presence of Senior Professor D. M. Semasinghe, former Vice- Chancellor of the University Kelaniya; Senior Professor P. A. Paranagama, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies; Professor Dhammika Weerasinghe, Dean of the Faculty of Computing and Technology; Professor Jeewantha Premaratne, Dean of the Faculty of Science; Professor Bandara Wanninayake, former Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies; Mr K. K. K. Dharmathilaka, Registrar;  Ms W. L. S. Wijesekara, Acting Bursar; Ms Achini Hettiarachchi, Deputy Registrar of the Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies; and the Heads of Departments, along with academic, administrative, academic-support and non-academic staff members of the University of Kelaniya.