Department of Human Resources Management

Message from the Head of the Department

Dr. A. W. M. M. Atapattu

Senior Lecturer

Welcome to the Department of HRM at the Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo. HRM being one of the most important functions in a company, we at the department endeavors to produce graduates who possess knowledge, skills, and competencies to become successful HR professionals who can make a difference in a company through efficient and innovative practice of HRM. We are extremely proud of our alumnus, a very important part of our department, who hold managerial positions in different high-profile companies in the country and continues to assist our undergraduates in numerous ways.

Our carefully developed curriculum covers all aspects of HRM considering the practical as well as the theoretical facets of HRM, while taking into consideration the newest trends in HRM. We have embarked on a well-planned out journey to integrate and collaborate with the industry to provide our learning partners the much-needed exposure to the industry. This include mentoring, shadowing, guest sessions, industry visits, problem-based learning and internships. Our small group of students makes it much easier for us to function as a family and carry out industry collaborations, interact more closely with students, engage in more personalized teaching and learning activities, provide a more effective academic guidance and create a positive atmosphere within the department.

Our dedicated staff has excellent academic credentials and are highly regarded and respected in the area. In addition to their normal teaching and administration work, they also get involved in research, publications and industry consultancy work, which adds value to their teaching while providing a service to the industry. I cannot also forget our non-academic staff members, who are known to be the most helpful and efficient.

Former Heads of the Department

Academic Staff 

Non Academic Staff 

Bachelors of Business Administration (Honours) Degree in Human Resources Management

This programme intends to provide participants with the opportunity to understand Human Resources Management as an integral part of the overall business of an organization. Further, it would create infrastructure for the participants to acquire the competency to relate Human Resources Management with other functional areas of management.

Medals and Awards

The Department of Human Resources Management proudly offers two medals for undergraduates who pass out with outstanding record of academic and extra-curricular activities with the patronage of leading companies in Sri Lanka.

1. The Suntel Gold Medal for the Most Outstanding HRM Graduate in Academic and Extra-Curricular Activities.

In order to gain this award, the selected candidate should be specialized in Human Resource Management by successfully completing BBA in HRM degree with first or second class (upper division) and excelled in extra-curricular activities including sportsmanship, aesthetic & cultural work, community engagement work and proven leadership.

2. Link Natural Products Gold Medal by Link Natural Products (Pvt) Ltd.

This award is offered for the candidate who records the highest-Grade Point Average (GPA) considering the overall academic performance throughout the four years. Also, the student shall complete the degree with at least a second-class upper division in order to gain this award.

These awards can exclusively be gained by HRM students passing out from the Department of HRM and both these medals are offered at the annual general convocation of the Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo.

Diploma in Human Resources Management (DHRM)

Contact Details

Mr. Yohan Perera

The DHRM Coordinator

I-Achieve Programme

I-Achieve is a special soft skill development programme conducted by the Department of Human Resources Management exclusively aiming the undergraduates specializing in human resource management, where they are provided with various opportunities to develop themselves personally and professionally.
The program was initiated in 2019 and the first batch of students completed the program successfully. However, due to the pandemic, the programm was executed in a fully-virtual setting in 2020 and 2021.
Nevertheless, even amidst many challenges, the I-Achieve 2022 was successfully held from 7 February to 10 February 2022 at Faculty premises with onsite participation of both third and final year undergraduates. More than 60 undergraduates attended all 4 days and at the end of the workshop series, undergraduates who successfully participated in the program were awarded valuable certificates.
The 4 day program entailed the following, to ensure that the participants gain valuable insights and training for both personal and professional development. We also made sure that the students have fun and enjoy this brief break they had from online learning.

Laptop Lend

‘Laptop Lend’ is another social responsibility initiative of the department. With the assistance of the HRM alumni of the department, a laptop was lent to a student who needed one to continue her studies uninterruptedly during this difficult time. Once the student passes out, the laptop will be lent to another needy student in the department.

HR Quarterly

This is an online quarterly newsletter which is published by the Department of HRM. The purpose of this publication is to enhance the intra-department collaboration between staff and students by creating a common platform for knowledge and experience sharing, appreciations on each other’s milestones, sharing departmental news, and providing an avenue for students to present their creativity. Furthermore, a selected top ranked HR professional features in each quarter with a guest interview, together with ‘a chat with a student’, ‘get to know your lecturers’ also featuring in the newsletter. The publication is also committed to sharing upcoming trends in the field. The newsletter is distributed online and is posted on the official Facebook page of the department for anybody to view. 

HRM Alumni Association

HRM Alumni Association

The Department of HRM has successfully initiated its Alumni Association in April, 2021.

The specific purpose of setting up an alumni association for the Department of HRM is three-fold;

1. To set up a social network among our past students of the Department of HRM.
2. To incept a discussion among us about recent trends, improvements, updates of the industry by sharing our views and knowledge with each other.
3. To develop a job network facilitating the career advancement of both undergraduates and past students

The Board of Administrators (BOA) of the alumni association (appointed at the inaugural meeting, for two years, from 2021 to 2023 held on 7^th April 2021);

• President – Mr. Kanishka Ranaweera
• Vice President – Ms. Shenali Guneratne
• Secretary – Ms. Ishara Wiskremathilaka
• Treasurer – Ms. Dushanthi Weerasekera
  

Appointed members (appointed at the inaugural meeting, for two years, from 2021 to 2023 held on 7^th April 2021);

• Dananja Wanninayaka 
• Kanishka Patternot 
• Vimukthi Gunarathna 
• Eranga Ranansinghe 
• Chandima Gayan 
• Sanuja Kalhari
• Dinusha Athulathmudali 

Hence, the Department of HRM warmly welcomes all its prospective alumnus who earned their Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Human Resources Management to partner with us irrespective of their passing out year or graduation year.

If you need to become a member of the alumni association, please fill the following form by clicking on the link below.

https://forms.gle/RQFvWVPvNHNVuTrq9

Higher Diploma in Human Resource Management (HDHRM)

Follow your dream to become a sound professional in HR with the endorsement of a prestigious National University!!

Introducing The Higher Diploma in Human Resource Management

Calling for applications for the onsite intake 2024-25

Find the online application here👇 https://forms.gle/SRv31ZVF9F1UjvZf8

🔹Pay the application fee of Rs. 2,000 to any branch of Peoples Bank.

🔸Payment code-312051200002

🔹Application Deadline- 30th November 2023

Department of Human Resources Management

Faculty of Management and Finance

University of Colombo

The Senate Awards for Research Excellence

The Senate Awards for Research Excellence acknowledge the academic staff members who make contributions to the University community through their outstanding research works. For the year 2022, Annual Research Symposium 2023 of the University of Colombo held on the 02^th of November 2023 at the Prof. V. K. Samaranayake Auditorium of the University of Colombo School of Computing. For this time three senior lecturers from the Department of Human Resources Management have been awarded for Research Excellence in 2022.

General Category  

Professor (Chair) Arosha Adikaram and Professor Pavithra Kailasapathy

Early Career Category

Dr. Dananja Wanninayake

‘200 DOs and DON’Ts for Management Research Students’ Prof. Arosha Adikaram.

Professor (Chair) Arosha Adikaram, one of the pioneering academics of the Department of Human Resources Management – University of Colombo has proudly launched another book titled ‘ 200 DOs and DON’Ts for Management Research Students’. She has written this book with Professor Tharusha N. Gooneratne Professor (Chair) Department of Accounting.

This book was specially written for MPhil, PhD, and DBA students as well as those who are taking the research option in their Master’s degree, to navigate the day-to-day challenges of doing research for a postgraduate degree.

CVCD Award

(Organized biennially by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Directors Sri Lanka (CVCD), the “CVCD Excellence Awards” recognize and honor outstanding contributions and achievements in research, innovation, and invention by scholars in the Sri Lankan university system. The awards are presented in three categories: Most Outstanding Senior Researcher, Most Outstanding Young Researcher, and Most Outstanding Inventor.)

Professor Arosha S. Adikaram, Chair Professor in the Department of Human Resources Management, Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka won the CVCD Excellence Award for “The Most Outstanding Senior Researcher” in the field of Management Studies (Lifetime Award). She is the former Head of the Department of Human Resources Management and coordinator of the Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), University of Colombo. This time, the CVCD Awards Ceremony was held in the BMICH on 9th June 2023, having His Excellency the President of the Democratic Socialistic Republic of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Chief Guest. The event was also graced by the presence of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the University Grant Commission, and Vice-Chancellors and Directors of Universities, Deans of Faculties of Sri Lanka.