President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Professor N.D. Fernando as the new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya.
The letter of appointment was presented to Professor Fernando by Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat on Saturday morning, according to the President’s Media Division.
The appointment takes effect from 24 August 2026.
Background
Professor Fernando has served until now as a Professor in the Department of Finance at the University of Kelaniya, and previously held the post of Chairman of the state-owned People’s Bank.
Ada Derana and Hiru News both reported the appointment on Saturday and agree on the details, differing only in describing the venue — Ada Derana gives the Presidential Secretariat, Hiru the President’s office. Neither outlet named the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, gave the length of the term, or set out the selection process that led to the appointment.
The appointment comes as the state university system draws attention on several fronts. A consultant psychiatrist warned this week that drug addiction lies behind most male university dropouts, while the Mahapola Trust Fund has opened an online system for scholarship students.
LankaNewz will update this report if the President’s Media Division releases further detail on the appointment.
