‘Back to Faculty’ by the Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo: Embarking on a Journey Down Memory Lane
The Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo is organizing a grand event ‘Back to Faculty’ on 23rd of September 2023 to celebrate the faculty’s history of 42 years.
42 Years of Academic Excellence and Beyond
Faculty of Management and Finance (FMF) is a renowned faculty in the state universities of Sri Lanka with its origin dating back to 1994. Historical development of the faculty dates back even further to 1979 when the Department of Commerce and Management Studies (DCMS) of the University of Colombo was set up and functioning under the Faculty of Arts. DCMS experienced rapid growth in the 1980s and singlehandedly became the department with the highest number of students in the Faculty of Arts. Two academic departments, namely the Department of Commerce and the Department of Management Studies, were formed in 1993 under the purview of the Faculty of Arts with the aim of expediting the process of establishing the new Faculty dedicated to Management education. In May 1994, FMF was established. Over the years, the undergraduate population of the faculty has grown rapidly and currently it serves over 2500 undergraduates.
FMF offers a diverse range of programs such as diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels with a commitment to uphold high standards in management education. Currently, it consists of seven departments offering the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree specializing in Accounting, Business Economics, Finance, Human Resources Management, International Business, Management and Organization Studies, Marketing, Hospitality and Leisure Management. Apart from theundergraduates, the student population of the faculty includes local and foreign students enrolled in a range of Masters level programs, Doctoral level programs and Diploma programs. The faculty has an academic staff of 81 lecturers consisting of 20 Professors and 20 PHD holders.
Celebrating Memories and Forging Bonds
Back to Faculty 2023 aims to bring together everyone who graduated from the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program over the last 42 years who are now serving at a plethora of Sri Lankan and global institutions. Over 12,000 past studentshave successfully completed and graduated from the BBA program of the Faculty of Management and Finance during this period.
The BBA alumni of FMF will be coming together at this signature event to celebrate their journey, discuss their future involvement and support to the University of Colombo, network,and re-create their memories at the faculty. At a recent press conference held at the faculty, the current Vice Chancellor Senior Professor (Chair) H.D. Karunaratne who initiated theconcept of ‘Back to Faculty’ highlighted the importance of networking; “networking is the unlimited form of resource in the 21st century as it provides more resources and innovative ideas. Therefore, the establishment of a wider link between alumni members and the faculty will bring more resources and opportunities to the university. Their wealth of knowledge, experience and memories can be mobilized to enhance knowledge, skills and to generate attitudinal changes in current students of the faculty”.
Marching Towards a Better Tomorrow
This initiative will benefit both past graduates and the current undergraduates of the Faculty of Management and Finance of University of Colombo. Alumni members can contribute to the development of the faculty in several ways. One of the main ways they can support the faculty is by providing scholarship funds to support underprivileged, differently abled, and exceptional students who are currently enrolled at the faculty. Secondly, the alumni can build a fund to support the faculty in its infrastructure development work to accommodate the growing number of student enrolment every year. Furthermore,alumni members can share their knowledge and experience with current students and assist with essential skills such as language, ICT, financial literacy etc. On the other hand, alumni also can reap many benefits from this initiative such as social gatherings to re-connect and build network, social schemes to improve welfare of the alumni members, and access to the current undergraduates in the faculty to be used as survey partners, part time employees and innovative idea creators etc.
Back to Faculty; The Flagship Event
This event is organized by a committee of past students and lecturers of the faculty with the leadership of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo and the Dean of the Faculty of Management and Finance. The event will be held onthe 23rd of September 2023 from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. at the faculty premises. The event will include a variety of games and activities to reunite batchmates along with live entertainmentfrom Chakra, Janai and Priyayi and other artists. The event will also feature street food stalls which offer diverse culinary experiences, and photobooths.
The BBA alumni of Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo invites all its alumni to Back to Faculty 2023 to reminisce, reconnect, recreate treasured memories, andcelebrate the power of education to change lives.