News & Announcements of Department of Banking and Finance

AFFIX 2026

The Department of Banking & Finance successfully organized AFFIX 2026, a vibrant get-together that brought together the esteemed alumni of the department, fostering renewed connections and lasting memories. The event was held on 02nd March 2026 at the elegant Kandyan Reach Hotel, providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere for graduates from different cohorts to reconnect, network, and celebrate their shared journey.

AFFIX 2026 served as a meaningful platform to strengthen the bond between the Department and its alumni, encouraging continued engagement and collaboration. The gathering was filled with moments of reflection, networking, and camaraderie, highlighting the strong sense of community within the Department of Banking & Finance. The Department extends its sincere appreciation to all alumni who participated and contributed to making this event a memorable success.

Debate Competition 2025

The Department of Banking & Finance successfully organized an engaging Debate Competition for internal faculty students in parallel with the Symposium in Banking & Finance (SyBFin) 2025. This initiative provided a vibrant platform for students to showcase their critical thinking, analytical skills, and ability to articulate ideas on contemporary issues in banking and finance.

The competition witnessed enthusiastic participation from students across the faculty, fostering intellectual discussion and healthy competition in line with the spirit of SyBFin 2025. The Department extends its heartfelt congratulations to all participants for their commendable efforts and enthusiasm. Special congratulations are due to the winning teams for their outstanding performances and well-deserved achievements. We appreciate the dedication and commitment of everyone involved in making this event a success.

Symposium in Banking & Finance (SyBFin 2025)

The Department of Banking & Finance proudly hosted the 2nd Symposium in Banking & Finance on 20th November 2025, marking the second consecutive year of this important academic and industry-focused event. The symposium was held under the theme “Redesigning Finance for an Intelligent and Inclusive Future,” reflecting the evolving landscape of the financial sector. This prestigious event was organized in collaboration with the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka, strengthening the ongoing partnership between academia and industry.

The symposium was graced by Prof. LDRD Perera, Acting Vice-Chancellor of Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, as the Chief Guest. The keynote address was delivered by Dilan Wijerathne, Head of Innovation at Hatton National Bank PLC, who shared valuable insights on innovation and the future of finance.

A key highlight of the symposium was the research presentation session, where researchers showcased their latest findings to an esteemed panel of experts. The interactive discussions that followed provided a platform for knowledge exchange, critical evaluation, and the advancement of research in banking and finance. The Department extends its sincere appreciation to all collaborators, speakers, panelists, and participants for contributing to the success of this significant academic event.

Signing MoU with IBSL

The Department of Banking & Finance proudly announces the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Wayamba University of Sri Lanka and Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL) on 20th November 2025. This MoU establishes a strategic partnership focused on enhancing academic–industry collaboration for the benefit of the Department of Banking & Finance. A key highlight of this initiative is the introduction of a prestigious Gold Medal Award, aimed at recognizing and rewarding outstanding academic excellence among students.

Through this collaboration, both institutions aspire to create meaningful opportunities for knowledge sharing, professional development, and closer engagement with the banking and finance industry. This partnership marks another important milestone in the Department’s continuous efforts to strengthen academic excellence and industry relevance.

Signing MoU with CFA Society Sri Lanka

The Department of Banking & Finance is proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CFA Society Sri Lanka on the 12th of December 2024 at the Faculty of Business Studies & Finance, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka. This partnership aims to foster collaboration in student training, guest lectures, research initiatives, and industry engagement while introducing a prestigious CFA Gold Medal Award to recognize outstanding academic achievements. This MoU marks a significant milestone in enhancing the Department’s academic excellence and strengthening ties with industry leaders.

Symposium in Banking & Finance (SyBFin-2024)

The Department of Banking & Finance, Faculty of Business Studies & Finance, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, successfully hosted the inaugural “Symposium in Banking & Finance (SyBFin-2024)” on 12th December 2024 in collaboration with the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL). Held under the theme “Reinforcing the Financial Sector Towards Inclusive Growth,” the event featured a keynote speech by Mr. Chatura Ariyadasa, Director of Regional Development, Central Bank of Sri Lanka, and four technical sessions where researchers shared key insights and recommendations. The Department thanks all contributors for making SyBFin-2024 a remarkable success.

Field Visit 2024

The Department of Banking & Finance organized a field visit on the 29th of November 2024 for 3rd-year undergraduates to gain practical exposure to leading financial institutions. The students visited the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). They learned about the monetary policy framework, regulatory roles, trading mechanisms, and investor protection strategies. This visit provided valuable insights into the operations of these institutions, bridging academic concepts with real-world applications. The department extends its gratitude to the Central Bank, CSE, and SEC for their support in making this visit a success.

Industry Mentorship Program

The Department of Banking & Finance has officially launched the Industry Mentorship Program with the collaboration of Acuity Knowledge Partners (AKP) on 07th of November 2024 at the AKP Colombo Office, World Trade Center.

This initiative aims to train the students “career ready” by the time they complete their degrees through a series of interactions, activities, and training. On that day, AKP has done the program awareness, including the time frame, structure, and benefits. The second-year students sat for the final selection test on the same date to shortlist the applicants. Senior academic staff members and the department’s second-year students participated on this day.

Field Trip with Collaboration of BOC (2023)

The Research Circle of the Department of Banking & Finance has successfully completed a two days’ field trip for 4th consecutive time to conduct a Data Collection Survey in Collaboration with the Research and Development Department of Bank of Ceylon. The primary objective of this program is to provide the students a real-world experience in developing a questionnaire and gathering data for a research study which will in turn support them in conducting their final year Dissertation. The survey has covered more than 20 Bank of Ceylon (BOC) branches in Kandy and Kurunegala area on 22nd and 23rd November 2023.

Welcome of the New Second (2nd) Year & Third (3rd) Year  Students to the Department

Department of Banking & Finance welcomes new second (2nd) year and third (3rd) year students who have newly enrolled to follow the B.Sc. Honours in Banking & Finance Degree. The students are from the 214’ and 204′ batches of the Faculty and successfully completed their respective common programes. Academic staff members, year four (4) students, and all newly enrolled students have participated in this event. The Head of the Department and other academic members explained the value and importance of being a graduate of the B.Sc. Honours in Banking & Finance Degree. We wish good luck to all the newcomers of the Department.

Mr. Lahiru Gunaratna has been appointed as the Head, Department of Banking & Finance

Mr. Lahiru Gunaratna, Senior Lecturer, attached to the Department of Banking & Finance of the Faculty of Business Studies and Finance has been appointed as the new head of the Department w.e.f July 2023. Mr. Lahiru Gunaratna obtained a BBM (Sp.) in Entrepreneurship and Management from the Uva Wellassa University and successfully completed his M.Sc. from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Applied Finance. He has contributed to the university and the nation with his knowledge and skills throughout the last decades. We wish him the best of luck on behalf of the university.

BONIFERA ’23

The Student’s Association of Banking & Finance has organized an industrial forum on the 29th of May 2023 at the Main Auditorium of Wayamba University of Sri Lanka. The forum comprised a panel discussion with academics and industry experts in Banking and Finance. The main objective of the event was to broader and enhances undergraduate exposure in terms of knowledge and experience in the field of Banking and Finance. Snr. Prof. Udith K. Jayasinghe, the vice-chancellor of the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, attended the event as the Chief Guest, and Mr. Sujeewa Rajapaksha, Chairman of People’s Bank of Sri Lanka, was the Guest of Honor of BONIFERA ’23.

BONIFERA ’23 QUIZ COMPETITION

The Student’s Association of Banking & Finance has successfully conducted the “Quiz Competition” on the 3rd of May 2023 in relation to “BONIFERA ’23”. This competition was open for all 1st year and 2nd year students of the Faculty of Business Studies Finance, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka. After 3 competitive rounds at each level, the winners and runners-up were selected from a qualified selected panel. We wish congratulate to all the participated teams and winners of the “BONIFERA ’23 Quiz Competition”.

Book Donation from Monash University, Australia

The Department of Banking & Finance has received over 500 textbooks in multiple aspects of finance and management studies from the Department of Banking & Finance, Monash University, Australia. This treasure of books is immensely valuable for both our staff and the students in disseminating and escalating the knowledge on the subject areas conducted under different study programs in the faculty. This is a great privilege and an honor for recognizing the Department of Banking & Finance, the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka for this donation which is a growing young state University in Sri Lanka. Books have been ceremonially handed over to the department on 8th of December 2022 with the participation of the Dean of the Faculty, Head of the Department, Academic Staff Members, and Students.

Field Trip with Collaboration of BOC

The Research Circle of the Department of Banking & Finance has successfully completed a two days’ field trip to conduct a Data Collection Survey in Collaboration with the Research and Development Department of Bank of Ceylon. The primary objective of this program is to provide the students a real-world experience in developing a questionnaire and gathering data for a research study which will in turn support them in conducting their final year Dissertation. The survey has covered sixteen (16) branches of Bank of Ceylon (BOC) in Colombo and Galle area on 20th and 21st October 2022.

Webinar with the Association of CFA Society Sri Lanka and Acuity Knowledge Partners

The “Research Circle (RC)” formulated under the Quality Assurance Unit of the Department of Banking and Finance, was held as the First Session of the webinar series on Sri Lanka Debt Restructuring on 07th September (Wednesday) 2022 from 4.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. via Zoom.

The following main topics were covered under the Webinar on “Sri Lanka Debt Restructuring”:

  1. Macro backdrop
  2. Key terms in debt restructuring
  3. Sri Lanka debt profile
  4. Foreign debt restructuring
  5. Domestic debt restructuring
  6. Recent developments

Facilitator: CFA Society Sri Lanka

Knowledge partner: Acuity Knowledge Partners

**we have opened this session for both the Staff and Students in the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka as this is a paramount important and timely topic for discussion in Sri Lanka.