Department of Information Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Congratulations to all BIS Sportsmen and Sportswomen who received University Colors at the recently concluded Colors Night.

🏆✨ 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐝𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬!

Heartiest congratulations to our outstanding achievers at the 𝐉’𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 – 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲. Your hard work, passion, and commitment continue to inspire us all and bring pride to our department.

May this achievement be just the beginning of many more victories ahead! 🌟

The Department of Information Technology is pleased to announce that Prof. Lasith Gunawardena, Head of the Department of Information Technology, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, has been inducted as the 30th Chairman of the BCS Sri Lanka Section, The Chartered Institute for IT.

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, is the UK’s professional body for information technology, incorporated by Royal Charter, with a mandate to promote professionalism, standards, and public trust in computing. The Sri Lanka Section is one of the largest and most active overseas membership communities of BCS, playing a significant role in shaping IT professional standards, policy dialogue, and skills development within the country.

Prof. Gunawardena’s association with BCS spans nearly three decades. He commenced his journey with BCS as a student member in 1997. Over the years, Prof. Gunawardena progressed to Member and subsequently Fellow of BCS, reflecting his sustained contributions to the IT profession, academia, and national digital development. He has also served on the Executive Committee of the Sri Lanka Section, including two terms as Honorary Secretary, gaining extensive experience in governance, professional engagement, and strategic planning.

The Department of Information Technology congratulates Prof. Lasith Gunawardena on this prestigious appointment and wishes him every success in providing leadership that strengthens the IT profession and contributes to Sri Lanka’s digital transformation at both national and international levels.

We extend our sincere appreciation and gratitude to Mr. Pubudu Dassanayake, who concluded his tenure at the Department of Information Technology to accept a full-time position at People’s Bank. During his brief period with the Department, he contributed to a number of courses and was actively involved in academic and departmental activities, making a valued contribution to our teaching and learning environment.

BIS Welcome 2026

The BIS Welcome 2026 program organized by the Department of Information Technology was successfully held on 22nd January 2026 from 1.00 pm to 6.00 pm at the Senate Boardroom and E110 Hall, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The primary objective of this event was to warmly welcome the first-year students to the department and to provide them with a comprehensive understanding of the curriculum and academic journey of the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Honours in Business Information Systems (BIS) Degree Programme.

The event was graced by Ms. Shehani Seneviratne, Chairperson – SLASSCOM (Sri Lanka Association for Software and Services Companies) and Chief Operating Officer – 99x Technologies, who delivered the keynote address from the industry, sharing valuable insights on emerging industry trends, expectations from graduates, and career pathways in the technology sector. The alumni keynote speech was delivered by Mr. Janaka Beragama Kuruppuge, Director (Cloud and AI Engineering) – Oracle Corporation, Australia, who inspired students by sharing his professional journey and global industry experience.

The event was further enriched by the presence and active participation of distinguished alumni members of the department, including:

* Ms. Haseeba Wadood – Cybersecurity Analyst (Telco Security), Dialog Axiata PLC
* Ms. Aamina Wadood – Former GRC Analyst, Connex Information Technologies
* Ms. Judith Harriet Francke – Lecturer, Nawaloka College of Higher Studies
* Mr. Sanjaya Ruwan – Senior Quality Engineer, Sysco LABS
* Ms. Kamesha Samaranayake – Manager – Process Optimisation, The Mistoria Group
* Mr. Tharanga Dilshan Pathirana – Project Manager, X-ONT Software (Pvt) Ltd
* Ms. Thanushi Jayaweera – Principal IFS Consultant, Anthesis Ltd
* Mr. Barathakanthan Rajkumar – DevOps Engineer, Insighture
* Mr. Chandika Witharana – Founder, XENOSYS SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS
* Ms. Madusha Mannapperuma – Implementation Engineer, Bileeta (Pvt) Ltd
* Ms. Savindi Waduge – Senior Software Engineer, WSO2
* Mr. Anuja Indranatha Madugalle – Project Manager, JF & I Packaging (Pvt) Ltd
* Mr. Kithmal Navodana – Functional Consultant, Sichrotec Technology Solutions, Canada

The academic staff members of the department, members of the Student Association of Information Technology (S@IT), alumni members, and first-year students actively participated throughout the program.

Following the formal orientation, an interactive networking session was conducted, allowing first-year students to engage directly with alumni and staff members. This session provided students with valuable exposure to industry opportunities, career pathways, and real-world experiences of BIS graduates.

The event was further supported by Ceylon Cold Stores as the Beverage Partner, while the Alumni Association of the Department of Information Technology (DITAA) served as the Gift Partner, contributing to the overall success of the program.

Join our dynamic and forward-thinking department as a Temporary Instructor in Computer Technology, and be a part of shaping the future of Information Systems education in Sri Lanka.
The Department of Information Technology at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura offers the Degree - B.Sc. Honours Business Information Systems. (Currently the leading degree programme based on Z-Score across the commerce stream). It serves Sri Lanka's Largest Faculty in terms of students - The Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. We seek suitably qualified graduates to join our esteemed faculty. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the education and development of future IT professionals while gaining valuable teaching experience.

Apply at https://forms.gle/bWwjrfDH68sXHiFL7 before 30th January 2026 (2359 Hrs)

We extend our warmest wishes for a Happy New Year 2026 to all our valued students, faculty, staff, BIS alumni, and industry partners.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Shashikala Subashini, Senior Lecturer in the Department, who bade farewell to us after an outstanding career of nearly 15 years of service.

Dr. Subashini joined the Department in 2010 as a Lecturer (Probationary) and went on to complete her Ph.D. in Information Systems at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in 2022. She has contributed immensely to the Department and the BIS community, including Chairing the Business Information Systems Student Symposium in 2022/23 and serving as Co-Chair of the Faculty-organised International Conference on Business Management. She is currently on a fellowship at QUT.

While we will deeply miss her invaluable contributions, we wish her every success as she embarks on the next chapter of her life in Australia. We also look forward to future collaborations that will continue to benefit our BIS student community.

Season’s Greetings from all of us at DIT, FMSC, USJ!
Wishing our BIS student community, alumni, and wider network a joyful festive season and a great year ahead.

We were honoured to host Prof. Nir Kshetri, Charles A. Hayes Distinguished Professor of Management at the School of Business and Economics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at Greensboro, as a Visiting The Fulbright Program Scholar at our Department from 15th to 18th December 2025.

Prof. Kshetri is an internationally recognised scholar and thought leader in emerging technologies, with globally influential research on blockchain, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and technology-driven economic development, particularly in developing and emerging economies. He has over 30,000 Google Scholar citations, is ranked among the top 0.03% of researchers worldwide, and serves in editorial roles within IEEE publications, including as IT Economics Editor for IEEE IT Professional, and has received Outstanding Associate Editor recognition from IEEE Computer, underscoring his strong standing in both academic research and applied technology domains.

While we were unable to provide a session with students due to examinations being held during the visit, His visit provided our faculty with invaluable global perspectives on the strategic, societal, and developmental implications of cutting-edge digital technologies. He also conducted a pre-conference workshop for the International Conference on Business Management durign his visit.

We are delighted to note the outstanding success of our BISPreneurs — undergraduates who follow the Technopreneurship in Information Systems course introduced by our department this year.
At the Brain into Business Grant Awards held on 19 December 2025, organised by the National Enterprise Development Authority - NEDA 30 grants were awarded nationwide (37 Undegraduates). I am proud to share that 8 of these grants were secured by undergraduates of the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura , and 5 were won by six BIS students from our Department of Information Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Remarkably, every student who followed the Technopreneurship course offered by our department this year has now secured a NEDA grant, each valued at LKR 250,000 (or LKR 350,000 for joint business partners). This includes Mr. Tharindu Fernando (Ideacypher (Pvt) Ltd.), who had already won the same grant last year—prior to the launch of the course—further reinforcing the entrepreneurial depth of our BIS students.
The BIS grant recipients this year are:
Mr. Fernando & Mr. Dinidu P Munasinghe – Lavontech (Pvt) Ltd.
Ms. Dinushi Madhavi Anuruddhika – Velox Promotions (Pvt) Ltd.
Ms. Kavindya Wayomi – Gift Gallery (Pvt) Ltd.
Ms. Hansika Vidumini – Pastel Pallet (Pvt) Ltd.
In addition, Mr. Guneratne (BIS 2nd Year) of (Pvt) Ltd. also secured the same NEDA grant—further strengthening the BIS entrepreneurial footprint.

Who is a BISPreneur?
A BISPreneur is a Business Information Systems undergraduate who practices technology-driven entrepreneurship, leveraging Information Systems thinking, digital platforms, data, and emerging technologies to create scalable ventures.
Unlike traditional entrepreneurs, BISPreneurs are trained to identify real-world problems that can be solved through IS-enabled solutions—such as software products, digital services, platforms, automation tools, and tech-enabled business models. The Technopreneurship in Information Systems course equips them with the capability to move from idea → prototype → validation → venture, grounding innovation in both technology and business value.
These results clearly demonstrate that Information Systems-led technopreneurship is not theoretical—it is practical, fundable, and capable of producing startup-ready graduates even before completion of their degree.

BISVoyage 2025/6

On 21st March 2022, amidst a period of national challenges marked by power cuts and fuel shortages, a cohort of high-achieving students—selected from among the top Z-scores in the A/L Commerce stream—entered the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, to commence their academic journey in the BIS Degree Programme.

Over the past 1,368 days, they have navigated academic rigor, met demanding deadlines, prepared for examinations and presentations, and engaged in the development of innovative solutions to real-world problems. Through these experiences, they have built strong foundations in analytical thinking, collaboration, professionalism, and adaptability.

As they now transition from undergraduates to BIS Alumni, they do so equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence required to engage with an increasingly complex and dynamic professional environment.

As the Department of Information Technology, it is our privilege to host BISVoyage 2025, the final official engagement of their undergraduate journey—marking a milestone and celebrating a cohort that is well prepared to take its place in the world beyond the university.