Prof. K.T.M. Udayanga Hemapala assumed duties as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa on 3rd  September 2026, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the leadership of the University. Prof. Hemapala is a distinguished academic, engineer, researcher and administrator with extensive experience in higher education and the energy sector. A Senior Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, he previously served as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering from October 2022 to September 2024 and as Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering from January 2021 to October 2022. He also served as the Secretary to the Ministry of Energy from September 2024 to April 2026.

What is iPrOTeCT ? The Global Health Research Group of the National Institute for Health and Care Research, UK (NIHR) on Physical Trauma from Injury and Post-Conflict (iPrOTeCT) is working to improve the care and rehabilitation of people affected by physical trauma, particularly in low-resource and post-conflict settings, through collaborative research, capacity strengthening, and context-appropriate healthcare innovations. The iPrOTeCT convention brings together academic institutions, clinicians, and researchers from the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, and Lebanon, forming a strong international and interdisciplinary partnership. The consortium is jointly led by Professor Anthony Bull of Imperial College London, Professor Ruwan Gopura of the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Professor Abebe Bekele of the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda, and Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah of the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. As iPrOTeCT approaches the final year of its program, the collaboration continues to advance research, strengthen capacity, and support the translation of research and innovation into meaningful improvements in trauma care and rehabilitation.