The Faculty of Management and Finance (FMF) of the University of Colombo has taken a significant step towards preserving the legacy of one of the pioneers who helped shape its identity and establish its reputation in management education.
The Faculty Board has formally approved the proposal to establish the Professor W. M. Jayaratne Gold Medal for the Most Outstanding Performance in Organisational Behaviour, an annual distinction intended to recognise exceptional undergraduate achievement in the discipline.
The proposed gold medal will honour Professor W. M. Jayaratne, widely regarded as the founding father of the Faculty of Management and Finance and the pioneer of management education in Sri Lanka. His contribution to the development of the Faculty and its academic culture continues to be reflected in the institution’s standing today.
Dean of the Faculty of Management and Finance Professor Nihal Hennayake described it as one of the Faculty’s most significant initiatives to preserve the memory of Professor Jayaratne and the values he stood for.
‘This is the most important initiative we have taken to remember what Professor W. M. Jayaratne committed himself to, and how he worked to build the FMF brand into a leading business school in the country.’
Professor Jayaratne’s contribution extends beyond the establishment and growth of an academic institution. His vision, commitment to management education and dedication to developing future business leaders helped lay foundations upon which generations of academics and students have built.
In many ways, the success and reputation enjoyed by the Faculty today can be traced back to the commitment of those who envisioned what FMF could become. Professor Jayaratne stands prominently among them. His legacy is therefore not simply one of an academic career, but of institution-building-a contribution that continues to influence the Faculty long after his active years.
The establishment of the gold medal has acquired an added significance through the Faculty’s Leadership with Soul – A Global CEO Engagement program, which featured Intertek Global CEO André Lacroix.
Intertek’s generous contribution towards the program is now being transformed into a lasting academic legacy. Instead of the contribution ending with a single event, the Faculty has chosen to convert it into an enduring initiative that will recognise academic excellence year after year.
The proposed medal will be awarded annually to an undergraduate student who demonstrates the most outstanding performance in Organisational Behaviour, subject to the relevant University regulations and approvals.
The initiative represents a meaningful convergence of past, present and future.
It remembers the contribution of a visionary academic who helped build the Faculty. It reflects the commitment of the present generation to preserve that legacy. And, most importantly, it creates an opportunity to inspire future generations of students to pursue excellence in their academic and professional lives.
A gold medal may be presented to one student each year, but its meaning extends far beyond the individual recipient. It represents scholarship; It represents leadership and it represents professional integrity. And above all, it represents the enduring power of a vision that continues to shape an institution.
Faculty of Management and Finance said Professor W. M. Jayaratne’s greatest achievement may therefore not be found in any single title, position or award. It can be seen in the institution he helped build, in the generations of students who passed through its doors, and in the reputation the Faculty continues to carry.
The establishment of this gold medal is more than a recognition of academic excellence. It is a tribute to a visionary academic, an investment in future generations, and a lasting reminder that those who build institutions with vision and commitment can leave a legacy that lives far beyond their own time.