The Department is delighted to announce a series of significant academic and professional achievements by Mrs G.B. Indrachapa Weerasinghe. Her recent accolades reflect a profound commitment to advancing research in heritage management, sustainable tourism, and international academic collaboration, further solidifying the Department’s reputation for scholarly excellence.

Outstanding Young Researcher Award 2025

In a premier achievement for the Department, Lecturer Mrs G.B. Indrachapa Weerasinghe was awarded First Place for the Outstanding Young Researcher in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Vice Chancellor’s Awards 2025. The prestigious accolade was officially presented during the Vice Chancellor’s Awards Ceremony held on 1st January 2026 at the Dharmaloka Hall, University of Kelaniya. This award highlights the high-impact academic work of the Department’s younger faculty members and underscores the Department of Archaeology’s role as a leader in social science research and intellectual inquiry.

Recognition of Research Excellence at the 394th Senate

In a testament to her dedication to high-impact research, Mrs Weerasinghe was honoured with the Senate Honours and Cash Prizes during the 394th Senate session held on 26th March 2025. This prestigious award was granted in recognition of her publication in a globally recognised indexed journal. Her research paper, titled “Exploring the Tourist Perceptions of Destination Components at the Sigiriya World Heritage Site: A TripAdvisor-Based Study,” was published in Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites by the renowned Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. The publication is notably indexed in both the Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) and Scopus (Q3-ranked), making a significant contribution to the digital humanities and heritage tourism discourse.

Publication Access: https://doi.org/10.1080/13505033.2024.2416194

Global Engagement through the Erasmus+ Mobility Programme

Expanding the Department’s international reach, Mrs Weerasinghe was awarded a scholarship under the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Programme (2024–2027). This opportunity allowed her to serve as a distinguished resource person at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) in Portugal from 6th to 10th October 2025. During her tenure at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences—specifically within the Department of Economics, Sociology, and Management—she engaged in intensive academic activities. Her visit was characterised by fruitful knowledge exchanges and collaborative discussions aimed at fostering long-term international partnerships in tourism and the social sciences.

Advancing Sustainable Tourism at the International Tourism Research Conference

On 1st October 2025, Mrs Weerasinghe represented the Department at the International Tourism Research Conference, organised by the University of Colombo and held at the BMICH. She presented her latest empirical study, “Assessing the Socio-Cultural Sustainability in the Hospitality Sector: An Analysis of Tourist Hotels’ Websites in Sri Lanka.” This research provides a critical analysis of how the hospitality industry utilises digital platforms to ensure socio-cultural sustainability. By examining the official websites of tourist hotels across the island, her work offers valuable insights into the industry’s role in preserving local heritage and social values within a modern, digital-first tourism landscape.

The Department extends its heartiest congratulations to Mrs Indrachapa Weerasinghe on these remarkable accomplishments and looks forward to her continued contributions to the academic community.