Rate My Professor M. Sunil Shantha

Professor M. Sunil Shantha serves as Vice-Chancellor of the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, a position he assumed on November 2, 2023, having previously held it from 2017 to 2020. He is a Professor in Economics within the Department of Economics and Statistics, Faculty of Social Sciences and Languages. Earlier in his career at the university, he was Head of the Department of Economics and Statistics from July 28, 2009, to October 12, 2011. As Vice-Chancellor, he chairs key bodies including the Senate Standing Committee on Quality Assurance, the Management Committee of the Centre for Open and Distance Learning, and the Advisory Board of the University Business Linkage Cell, which bridges academia and industry for innovation and commercialization. He is also a member of the university's Council and Senate ex officio. Professor Shantha contributes to academic publishing as a member of the editorial board of the Sri Lanka Journal of Economics, Statistics and Informatics Management and has served as a reviewer for the journal.

Professor Shantha earned his PhD in Economics from the University of Colombo, MA in Economics from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, and BA Honours in Economics from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. His research specializations encompass Agricultural Economics, Tourism Economics, Co-operatives, Rural Development, Poverty, and Unemployment. One of his key publications is 'Formalizing Domestic Tourism Sector in Sri Lanka: A Case Study on Southeast Dry Zone,' published in the Sabaragamuwa University Journal in 2008. Under his leadership, the university, founded in 1996, continues to excel in teaching, research, and service to local, national, and international communities, educating over 7,000 students across disciplines including social sciences, management, and computing. His vision emphasizes generating societal ideas, work-integrated learning, and professional development to produce dynamic leaders for Sri Lanka.