BIO

Dr. Mufeeda Irshad is a Senior Lecturer Gr. I at the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce (FMSC), University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka. With over three decades of experience, Dr. Irshad has made significant contributions to English language education.
Dr. Irshad earned her Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in 1988 from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. Her passion for linguistics led her to pursue a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) from the University of Colombo in 1997. She further advanced her education by obtaining a Master of Arts degree in Linguistics with Merit in 2000 and a Master of Philosophy in Linguistics in 2010, both from the University of Kelaniya. In 2015, she completed her PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Groningen, The Netherlands, focusing on Second Language Development. Her dissertation, Second Language Development through the Lens of a Dynamic Usage-Based Approach, highlights her innovative approach to language acquisition.
Dr. Irshad began her teaching career in 1992 at The Open University of Sri Lanka. In 2004, she joined the University of Sri Jayewardenepura as a Lecturer (Probationary) in Business Communication. She was promoted to Senior Lecturer Gr. II in 2010 and Gr. I in 2016.
Dr. Irshad has also held several administrative positions at FMSC. She served as the Coordinator of the Business Communication Unit multiple times (2008 to 2011, 2015 to 2017, and from 2019 to 2020). From 2020 to 2022, she coordinated several external degree programs, including the Bachelor of Commerce (General) and Bachelor of Science Management (Public) General (External) Degrees. Additionally, she contributed as an Academic Student Counsellor (2016, 2021, and 2022-USJ) and mentor in the Student Mentoring Programme (FMSC). Dr. Irshad has also served as the Senior Treasurer of the Muslim Majlis at the University from 2008 to 2010 and played a key role in the FMSC’s accreditation efforts, co-chairing the AACSB Accreditation Sub-Committee.
As a researcher, Dr. Irshad focuses on Applied Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition, and Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL). Her research has been presented at international conferences and published in indexed journals and academic.
Her contributions extend beyond her home institution, involving national-level initiatives to improve language education in Sri Lanka. She has served on the Test Development Committee for the University Test of the English Language (UTEL) and the Panel of Programme Reviewers for the Quality Assurance Council of the University Grants Commission.
Dr. Irshad has participated in international workshops and conferences. She has served as an Essex International Visiting Fellow at the University of Essex, UK, and as a Visiting Academic at Deakin University, Australia. Her role as an external partner in Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) projects further underscores her international recognition.