Prof. Janaka Ruwanpura is the Vice-Provost (International) at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada (the equivalent to Pro-Vice Chancellor in the U.K. education system). His contribution was instrumental to the enhancement of the university’s reputation and international connections around the world. He has been an academic superstar by becoming a prestigious Canada Research Chair and a full professor within 10 years of his first appointment as an assistant professor.

He was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering in 2001 and promoted as an Associate Professor with Tenure in 2006. He was then honored with a Canada Research Chair in Project Management Systems in 2007 and succeeded to grow into a full professor in 2011. He also played a key role as the founding director of the Centre for Project Management in the Schulich School of Engineering since 2005 prior to taking his current role.

His current involvement in international activities is comprehensive, including teaching, training, research, administration and service activities. Professor Ruwanpura leads the implementation of the university’s international strategy. By aligning international activities with the university’s vision and the strategic plans, the vice-provost Ruwanpura helps advance the institution’s efforts in international research, academic programming, staff and student mobility, programmatic partnerships, service and development.

Prof. Ruwanpura earned a Bachelor of Science (honors) in quantity surveying from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka (1992), an Master of Science in construction management from Arizona State University (1997), and a PhD in construction engineering and management from University of Alberta (2001). Prof. Ruwanpura has developed many best practices and tools that have been successfully implemented in the construction industry for productivity improvement and project management. He has published over 180 technical papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings and has been recognized with national and international career awards for education, research, service, graduate education, leadership and internationalization. He is a licensed professional engineer in Alberta, a professional quantity surveyor in Canada and Sri Lanka (fellow) and a chartered member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, United Kingdom.

He is very charismatic, dynamic and has shown true leadership and great accomplishments from his school days from Nalanda College to university and beyond. He has been an entrepreneurial professional who has courageously tackled whatever challenges he encountered, whether it was specializing in both quantity surveying and engineering, or giving up his research chair role to spearhead the University of Calgary’s international activities as a vice-provost.

He has generously volunteered his professional and personal expertise and time to Sri Lanka, exerting outstanding commitment without connecting to any politically ally. Professor Ruwanpura lives with his wife Senani and a 14 year old son Seniru in Calgary.