As the founder Dean of the Faculty of Urban and Aquatic Bioresources, I consider it a great honour and a privilege to convey this message to introduce this novel Faculty. Being the first of its kind in the Sri Lankan state university system, the faculty was established with the great enthusiasm of the former Vice-Chancellor and current UGC Chairman Senior Prof. Sampath Amaratunge. The current Vice-Chancellor, Senior Professor Sudantha Liyanage was very keen and dedicated to seeing the initiation of this Faculty. The inception of the Faculty of Urban and Aquatic Bioresources (FUAB) was immensely supported by the patronage of Emeritus Prof. Gamini Senanayake, present Chairman/Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research Policy (CARP) and former Vice-Chancellor/University of Ruhuna. As the Dean of the Faculty, I extend my sincere thanks to all those who have contributed towards the establishment of this Faculty as the 10th faculty of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ).
The pressing need for the sustainable utilization of urban and aquatic bioresources in Sri Lanka, created the need for a Faculty of this kind and I am glad that we, the USJ family have identified the timely requirement. With the current acceleration of urbanization and population growth, food and water scarcity will be of vital concern in future, both locally and globally. In this background, sustainable utilization of urban and aquatic bioresources through a knowledge-based blue-green economy is a timely solution. With the introduction of FUAB, we are aiming to produce graduates and postgraduates, who are confident and capable of meeting the objectives of a blue-green economy. The research output of the Faculty of Urban and Aquatic Bioresources is expected to boost national development and contribute to the policy development of the country.
Senior Professor Pradeep Jayaweera, BSc (Hons) (USJ), PhD (Belfast, UK)
Dean, Faculty of Urban and Aquatic Bioresources
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Gangodawila, Nugegoda
Sri Lanka