SLIIT successfully concluded its annual SLIIT International Conference for Advancements in Humanities & Sciences, (SICASH) organised by the Faculty of Humanities & Sciences, establishing new benchmarks in academic research and innovation. The event took place at the impressive Hotel Monarch Imperial, Kotte.

Held for the fifth consecutive time, SICASH 2025 was under the theme ‘Shaping the Future through Smart Research’. As the conference presented a platform for local and international scholars to present impactful research, SICASH 2024 received 118 submissions, and 72 high-quality research papers were presented across various disciplines, demonstrating the conference’s rigorous academic standards. In addition, a poster presentation spanning all relevant disciplines was held alongside the paper sessions, featuring a total of nine posters. The conference convened leading international and local scholars across seven key disciplines, including Applied Sciences, Education, English Language and Literature, Law, Mathematics and Statistics, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Psychology.

The annual SICASH conference is highly anticipated in the research realms and showcases SLIIT’s growing influence in advancing academic research and fostering international collaborations in higher education.

The event was graced by Prof. Gareth Williams, Professor of Pharmaceutical Materials Science, Head of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University College London, UK, as the Keynote speaker. Also in attendance were Chancellor/Chairman Prof Lakshman Ratnayake, Vice Chancellor/CEO Prof Lalith Gamage, and Senior Deputy Vice – Chancellor & Provost Prof Nimal Rajapakse who addressed the gathering at the inauguration.

Notable international plenary speakers included Professor Marc Vendrell, Professor of Translational Chemistry and Biomedical Imaging at the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Prof. Jennifer Alford, Associate Professor of Language and Literacy Education, School of Education and Professional Studies (EPS), Griffith University, Queensland, Australia and Dr. Josephine Moate, Adjunct Professor, Docent of Language in Education and Senior Lecturer in Bilingual and Multilingual Pedagogy, Department of Teacher Education, University of Jyväskylä, Finland, Associate Prof Stéphane Bouchoucha, Nursing and Associate Head of School International, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Deakin University, Australia. The plenary speakers at the event included Attorney-at-Law Mr. Rajeev Amrasuriya, Dilanthi Weerasinghe, Senior Lecturer, Educational Psychology, University of Hertfordshire, England, UK, Dr Hemantha K.J. Ekanayake, Director, Communications Department, Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).

Dr. Malitha Wijesundara, Dean, SLIIT Faculty of Humanities & Sciences said, “SICASH represents SLIIT’s commitment to fostering groundbreaking research and academic excellence across diverse disciplines. Bringing together global expertise and local talent, we are creating a platform that not only showcases cutting-edge research but also shapes the future of education in Sri Lanka.”

A post-conference mini symposium on ‘Technology Enhanced Drug Development’ was also held, featuring expert presentations on pharmaceutical innovations and development. The event gained significance through contributions from Prof. Gareth Williams, University College London, Prof. Priyadarshani Galappatthy, University of Colombo, Prof. Chandima Jeewandara, and Prof. Jayantha Wijayabandara, both from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

SICASH 2024 conference proceedings will be published in the ProQuest Research Library, with selected articles featured in the SLIIT Journal of Humanities and Sciences (SJHS), ensuring wider dissemination of the research findings.

The event, organized under the guidance of Dr. Malitha Wijesundara and Prof. Colin Peiris as advisors, with Prof. Charitha Jayaruk as General Chair, along with Dr. Nirosha Priyadarshani, Dr. Ruvini Mathangadeera and Ms. Malika Lakmali, as co-chairs, showcased SLIIT’s growing influence in advancing academic research and fostering international collaborations in higher education. For more information about SICASH, please visit www.sliit.lk