Senior Professor K. Amirthalingam – Head of the Department
PhD (Col), MPhil (JNU), MA (Col), BA Hons (Jaffna)
Message from the Head of the Department of Economics
Welcome to the Department of Economics at the University of Colombo.
The Department of Economics is one of the leading and pioneering departments of economics in Sri Lanka. It is among the very few departments in the country that offers multiple academic streams for students following the Economics Special Degree, enabling undergraduates to pursue their studies in line with their interests, strengths, and career aspirations. The Department is also the largest economics department in Sri Lanka in terms of postgraduate education, offering a wide range of postgraduate programmes. These programmes are designed to cater to diverse academic and professional needs, and they attract students from across the country and beyond. Our postgraduate teaching and research activities contribute significantly to policy debates, academic scholarship, and national development.
A key strength of the Department lies in its strong emphasis on employability-oriented degree programmes. In addition to core economics, we offer specialised training in several applied and emerging disciplines, including Transport Economics, Tourism Economics, Banking and Finance, Development Economics, Public Finance, and related fields. These programmes are carefully designed to meet the evolving demands of the labour market while maintaining academic rigor. The Department of Economics is supported by a highly qualified and experienced academic staff actively engaged in teaching, research, and policy advisory work at national and international levels. Through teaching excellence, research, and community engagement, we remain committed to producing graduates who are analytically strong, socially responsible, and capable of contributing meaningfully to Sri Lanka’s economic and social development.
I warmly invite prospective students, researchers, alumni, and stakeholders to explore our programmes and engage with the Department of Economics at the University of Colombo.
Professor Kopalapillai Amirthalingam
Head, Department of Economics
University of Colombo, Sri Lanka