The Annual Awards Ceremony of the University of Moratuwa 2026, celebrating excellence in education, research and distinguished academic service, was held on 1 September 2026, from 2.00 p.m. onwards, at the Faculty of Engineering Multi-purpose Building Complex Auditorium, under the patronage of the Vice-Chancellor, Senior Professor N.D. Gunawardena.
The ceremony brought together the University community to recognise distinguished academics whose contributions have helped shape the University, researchers who advance knowledge and innovation, and students who demonstrate exceptional academic performance. The occasion featured the conferment of the title of Emeritus Professor on six distinguished retired academic staff members, the presentation of 275 awards in recognition of outstanding research performance, and 127 awards to 101 students for exceptional academic achievements.
Honouring Distinguished Academic Service
One of the significant features of the ceremony was the conferment of the title of Emeritus Professor on six distinguished retired academic staff members of the Faculty of Engineering:
• Professor B.M.W.P.K. Amarasinghe
• Professor J.M.S.J. Bandara
• Professor J.A.K.S. Jayasinghe
• Professor A.A.D.A.J. Perera
• Professor B.A.J.K. Premachandra
• Professor N.K. Wickramarachchi
The title was conferred in appreciation of their eminent academic achievements and long-standing contributions to teaching, research, postgraduate supervision, institutional development at the University of Moratuwa, and national and international advancement.
The recognition paid tribute not only to their individual accomplishments, but also to the lasting contribution they have made to the academic community through the development of students, researchers, academic programmes and their respective disciplines.
Celebrating Outstanding Research Performance
A major highlight of the ceremony was the recognition of outstanding research performance by the academic staff of the University during 2023 and 2024.
A total of 275 research awards were presented, comprising 133 awards for research performance in 2023 and 142 awards for 2024. The awards were presented under three categories:the Vice Chancellor's Award, Outstanding Award with Distinction, and Outstanding Award.
Of the 275 awards, 41 were Vice Chancellor's Awards, 118 were Outstanding Awards with Distinction, and 116 were Outstanding Awards.
|
Research Award Category |
2023 |
2024 |
Total |
|
Vice Chancellor's Award |
14 |
27 |
41 |
|
Outstanding Award with Distinction |
63 |
55 |
118 |
|
Outstanding Award |
56 |
60 |
116 |
|
Total |
133 |
142 |
275 |
The recognition reflects the strong research culture that the University of Moratuwa continues to foster across its academic community. Research is regarded as an integral part of the University's academic mission, supported through research degree programmes, institutional research structures, multidisciplinary collaboration, research funding and initiatives aimed at strengthening research capacity and the dissemination of research outcomes.
Research undertaken across the University extends beyond the advancement of knowledge to addressing contemporary national and global challenges. It encompasses areas including environmental sustainability, clean energy, artificial intelligence, disaster resilience, community health and sustainable urban development, demonstrating the breadth and societal relevance of the University's research endeavours.
The University's multidisciplinary research environment further brings together expertise in diverse areas such as data science, robotics, biomedical innovation, natural language processing and intelligent transport systems, encouraging researchers from different disciplines to work collectively on complex challenges and contribute to national development.
The 275 research awards presented at the ceremony therefore represent more than individual accomplishments. Collectively, they celebrated the quality, impact and sustained scholarly performance of University academics and their contribution to strengthening the University's research and innovation landscape.
Recognising Excellence among Students
The ceremony also celebrated the exceptional academic achievements of 101 students, comprising 90 students from the Faculty of Engineering and 11 students from the Faculty of Architecture.
A total of 127 awards were presented to these students in recognition of exceptional academic performance in their respective fields of study. Of these, 114 awards were presented under the Faculty of Engineering and 13 under the Faculty of Architecture.
The awards recognised excellence across a wide range of academic achievements, including overall academic performance, specialised disciplinary achievement, design excellence and undergraduate research, reflecting the diversity of academic accomplishment within the two Faculties.
These achievements are closely connected with the University's broader educational mission. The University seeks to nurture graduates who are academically sound, self-confident, adaptable, professionally competent and internationally recognised, while encouraging creativity, innovation and the practical application of knowledge.
The students recognised at the Awards Ceremony exemplify the standards of excellence that the University seeks to cultivate through this educational environment.
The Awards Ceremony 2026 brought together three important dimensions of the University's academic mission: honouring distinguished service, recognising research excellence and celebrating outstanding student achievement.
Together, these achievements reflect the University's vision “to be a globally recognised University with an empowered environment for nurturing world-class graduates” and its mission of providing transformative education, conducting high-impact research through innovative enterprise, and contributing to scientific, technological and socio-economic advancement and sustainable development.
Extending the celebration beyond the University premises, the Awards Ceremony 2026 was broadcast live through the official University of Moratuwa YouTube channel, enabling interested viewers in Sri Lanka and around the world to join the occasion and witness the recognition of the University's academic, research and student achievements.
For the full list of awardees, please visit:
https://uom.lk/pdf/final-awardees-list-2026.html
To watch the recording of the University of Moratuwa Awards Ceremony 2026, please visit:
https://www.youtube.com/live/Hlu4733l2Vc
