Acting Vice Chancellor

Profile

Professor Upul Subasinghe

Prof. Upul Subasinghe graduated from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura with a BSc (Hons) Degree in Botany and later served as a lecturer (probationary) in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences. He obtained his PhD in Forest Management from Bangor University, Wales, United Kingdom in 1999. After completion of doctoral studies he rejoined the University of Sri Jayewardenepura as a Senior Lecturer.

Since March 2022, he is serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in addition to being the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura since December 2022.

Prof. Subasinghe won scholarships from Asian Development Bank to study Remote Sensing and GIS in Thailand and a Commonwealth Fellowship at Bangor University, UK. He also conducted joint research with experts in Curtin University and Edith Cowen University in Australia and World Wildlife Fund. Since 2021, he serves as an Environment and Disaster Management Program Associate of the World Wildlife Fund, Washington DC, USA.

Prof. Subasinghe performed several administrative positions at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura such as being the Head of the Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, Coordinator of the MSc Program in Forestry and Environment, Deputy Proctor of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Chairman of the Faculty Research Committee. He was the Managing Editor of the Journal of Tropical Forestry and Environment and Editor in Chief of Vidyodaya Journal of Science.

Prof. Subasinghe was the elected President of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka during 2007-2008 period. He is also a trained Forest Certification Auditor of the Forest Stewardship Council and served as the Chairman of the Expert Committee on Forest Certification of Sri Lanka Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment. He also engaged as an expert in the committees such as the United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, Haritha Lanka National Action Plan, Ecosystem Conservation & Management Project and Forestry Sector Master Plan Preparation. He was the Team Leader of Development of Forest Certification Standards stipulated by the Forest Stewardship Council for Sri Lanka during 2019-2020 period and was also a Director of the Taiwan Agarwood Society since 2013.