Historical Mile Stones

1969 Commencement of the first ever University Programme in Food Science and Technology at the Vidyodaya University of Ceylon (now the University of Sri Jayewardenepura) thanks to the pioneering efforts of the late Prof. A.C.J. Weerakone, the first professor of Biological Sciences, Vidyodaya University of Ceylon and to active involvement of late Mr. L.AC.Alles, a food technologists of the Marketing Department. 1972 Upgrading the Food Science and Technology Diploma to a Masters Degree programme with the involvement of the Chemical Center, University of Lund, Sweden where Prof. Kare Larsen and Prof. Rune Limenga of the University of Lund played a key role. 1988 Launching the first Masters degree programme in Food Science and Technology under the guidance of Dr. Karunasena Kodithuwakku, the then Vice Chancellor and Prof. Tuly de Silva, Dean, Faculty of Applied Science. 1989 Planning and implementation of rural Food Technology Programmes intended for Mahaweli Development Authority. 1989 Planning and implementation of the first ever training of trainers programme in Food Science and Technology for Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) UK, the Cathy Rich Memorial Food Technology programme at the request made by Mr. Barry Axtel of  ITDG(UK). Prof. Tuly de Silva, Prof. A. Bamunuarchchi, Prof. S. Samarasinghe(SJP) and Dr. Peter Fellows (ITDG) took the initiative in this mission. 1990 Planning and implementation of the second Cathy Rich Memorial rural Food technology for ITDG (UK) by the same team of resource personnel as above. 1992 UNIDO supported training of trainers programme in Food Process Technology held in Zambia. Dr. Peter Fellows, Prof. A.Bamunuarchchi as Food Technologists and several expert trainers, management specialists and marketing specialists hired by UNIDO contributed. This programme is now internationalized and offered in several other countries including UK. 1993 Designing 13 curricula by Prof. A. Bamunuarchchi to cover the entire food processing sector at a request made by the Vocational Training Authority, Sri Lanka. 95-96 Senate and the Council of the SJU approved the establishment of the Department of Food Science & Technology at USJP. 2000 University Grants Commission approved the establishment of the department. 2002 Department of Food Science and Technology was established under the guidance of Dr. D.S. Epitawatta, then the Vice Chancellor of USJP. 2003 First intake of undergraduates of Food Science and Technology degree. 2004 The department has been headed by the founder of the department Prof. Bamunuarachchi. 2005 Dr. K.K.D.S. Ranaweera has appointed as the head of the department. Also the department received 30 students as the first batch enrolled in the B.Sc (sp) degree in Food Science & Technology. 2006 The department accommodated 50 students with a view to expand its activities to a wider horizon 2010 Pro food Pro Pack 2010-Department won an award for -The most commercially viable research project for - Nutri Flakes ICT for sustainabl development -Java World Congress and Exhibition 2010 was held on 19-21 Novemberat SLECC & Taj Samudra Colombo at Sri Lanka and FST USJP participated in it. 2011   Dr. I. Wicramasinghe has appointed as the head of the department New intake for FSC degree Pro food Pro Pack 2011-FST USJP is the winner of the Most commercially viable Research Project for Palmyra Noodles. FST members were participated in workshop on development of detail syllabus of BSc Special Degree in Sports Science and Management (SSM). International Potash Institute (Switzerland),University of Sri Jayewardenepura ( Sri Lanka) and department of Agriculture (Sri Lanka) have organized a symposium on ROLE OF POTASSIUM IN SUSTAINING THE YIELD AND ITS QUALITY at Hotel Topaz Sri Lanka on 27th and 28th October 2011. 2012  “Arunella” community service It is another special event organized by AFST as now we have directly linked to the public.  University students  have properly understood their responsibility towards the society and have organized this event as one of  community projects. Lecture Series have organized related to Food Science & Technology for School students then a consulting panel has organized for self employees in food sector who are seeking solutions for their small business. Pro food Pro Pack 2012-FST USJP is the winner of - The best Stall Institution.