Conference Overview
The 5th Annual Conference on Business Economics (ACBE), the flagship research conference organised by the Research Center for Business Economics and Development Studies of the Department of Business Economics, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce (FMSC), University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ), was held on the 28th of February 2024. The conference was aligned with the 20th International Conference on Business Management (ICBM) 2024.
Inauguration and Plenary Session
The conference commenced with an inauguration ceremony held at the university premises, where Prof. W. Indralal De Silva, Professor Emeritus, Department of Demography, University of Colombo, delivered the Keynote Address. This was followed by the Plenary Session, which featured Mr. ByeongJo Kong, Digital Technology Specialist (Data Analytics & Big Data) at the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, Asian Development Bank, Japan, as the Guest Speaker. His address provided valuable insights into the role of digital transformation in driving sustainable economic development, aligning closely with the conference theme.
Economic Forum
A key highlight of the conference was the Economic Forum, held under the theme “Leveraging Digital Transformation for Economic Recovery.” The forum brought together a distinguished panel comprising:
- Mr. Chanuka Wattegama – Director (Policy), Information and Communication Technology Agency
- Dr. Vipula Wickramarachchi – Deputy Director, Economic Research Department, Central Bank of Sri Lanka
- Mr. Kapila Karunaratne – Head of Delivery – Testing, Exactpro Sri Lanka
- Mr. Sasitha Edirisinghe – Delivery Lead, Acuity Knowledge Partners
The session was moderated by Dr. Ananda Rathnayake from the Department of Business Economics.
Research Presentations
The conference featured the presentation of twenty-five (25) selected research abstracts by undergraduate and postgraduate students. These abstracts were published in the official proceedings of the conference, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of business and economics.
Concluding Remarks
As the 5th Annual Conference on Business Economics came to a close, the event successfully brought together researchers, professionals, and students, fostering meaningful dialogue on some of the most pressing issues in business and economic development today. The insights and experiences shared are expected to strengthen and sustain the continued collaboration among the Department, academics, students, and professional communities moving forward.
The Department extends its heartfelt gratitude to Seylan Bank PLC for their invaluable support as the Exclusive Banking Partner of the 5th Annual Conference on Business Economics (ACBE) 2024.