Prof. Rohana Chandrajith Receives Sri Lanka’s First Endowed Professorship

The University of Peradeniya has marked a historic milestone in Sri Lankan higher education with the establishment of the country’s first endowed professorship scheme.

The inaugural appointment, the Professor Lakshman Samaranayake Endowed Professorship in Geology, has been awarded to Senior Professor Rohana Chandrajith. The appointment was formally presented by University of Peradeniya Vice Chancellor Professor Terrence Madhujith.

The professorship has been funded through a private donation from Professor Lakshman Samaranayake, a distinguished alumnus of the University of Peradeniya and former Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Hong Kong.

The endowed professorship model provides a long-term financial foundation to support academic research, laboratory development and student activities, enabling the recipient to pursue research programmes with greater continuity.

Unlike conventional short-term research funding, an endowed chair is designed to provide sustained support while the university retains responsibility for selecting the academic who holds the position.

The establishment of the scheme introduces a model of philanthropic support for higher education in Sri Lanka and creates a framework for alumni and private donors to contribute to the long-term development of academic research.

The appointment of Professor Chandrajith to the inaugural endowed professorship represents a significant milestone for the University of Peradeniya and Sri Lanka’s academic community.