# SM. Mohamed Ismail **Full name:** SM. Mohamed Ismail **Display name:** Dr. S.M.Mohamed Ismail, PhD **Also known as:** S.M.Mohamed Ismail · Dr. Mohamed Ismail · Dr. Ismail **Nationality:** Sri Lankan **Residence:** Colombo, Sri Lanka **Occupation:** Economist · University administrator · Former Member of Parliament · Consultant **Known for:** Vice Chancellorship of South Eastern University of Sri Lanka; university transformation; post-conflict and post-tsunami development consulting --- ## Short description (Wikipedia-style opening line) **Dr. S.M.Mohamed Ismail** (also known as **SM Mohamed Ismail**) is a Sri Lankan economist and academic administrator based in Colombo. He served as the third Vice Chancellor of South Eastern University of Sri Lanka (2009–2015), a National List Member of Parliament (2018–2020), and Chairman of the Sri Lanka Handicraft Board, LAKSALA (2015–2018). --- ## Infobox (for Wikipedia / Wikidata / knowledge-graph ingestion) | Field | Value | |---|---| | Full name | SM. Mohamed Ismail | | Also known as | SM Mohamed Ismail; S.M. Mohamed Ismail; Dr. S.M. Mohamed Ismail; Dr. Mohamed Ismail; Dr. Ismail | | Honorific prefix | Dr. | | Post-nominal | PhD | | Nationality | Sri Lankan | | Residence | Colombo; Sri Lanka | | Alma mater | University of Bradford; Kiev University of National Economy; Donetsk State University | | Field of study | Economics; Finance & Credit; Conflict, Peace & Development | | Degree | PhD (1992); MSc (1988); Post-Doctoral Fellowship (2006) | | Occupation | Economist; academic administrator; consultant; former parliamentarian | | Notable position | Vice Chancellor, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka (2009–2015) | | Political position | Member of Parliament, National List (2018–2020) | | Public office | Chairman, Sri Lanka Handicraft Board (LAKSALA) (2015–2018); Justice of the Peace (whole island) | | Known for | University transformation; post-conflict development; economics of Eastern Sri Lanka | | Languages | English; Tamil; Sinhala; Russian | | Website | https://profismail.eprofile.bio/ | --- ## Biography ### Early background SM. Mohamed Ismail is a Sri Lankan economist who spent a decade studying in the former Soviet Union before returning to join South Eastern University of Sri Lanka (SEUSL) in 1996 as a founding faculty member. His career spans higher-education leadership, national politics, and international development consulting. ### Education - **Post-Doctoral Fellow**, Conflict, Peace & Development — University of Bradford, United Kingdom (Commonwealth Academic Fellowship, 2006) - **Ph.D.**, Finance & Credit/Economics — Kiev University of National Economy (now Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University), Ukraine (1992) - **M.Sc.**, Finance & Credit/Economics — Donetsk State University (now Donetsk National University), Ukraine (1988), on a Government of Sri Lanka scholarship awarded in 1982 ### Career #### Vice Chancellor — South Eastern University of Sri Lanka (2009–2015) Third Vice Chancellor of SEUSL. Tripled student intake (1,000 → 3,000), raised graduate employability from 35% to 85%, established the Faculty of Engineering, managed over Rs. 4 billion in development funding, and built partnerships with universities in 10 countries. Previously the university's first Head of the Department of Social Sciences (1996–1999, 2002–2005) and first Dean of the Faculty of Management and Commerce (1999–2002). #### Member of Parliament — National List (2018–2020) Sat on seven parliamentary oversight committees, including Public Finance, Economic Development, Transport & Communication, Agriculture & Lands, Education, and Legal Affairs (anti-corruption & media). #### Chairman — Sri Lanka Handicraft Board / LAKSALA (2015–2018) Led national handicraft promotion; concurrently a board director of the National Design Centre and the National Crafts Council (2016–2018). #### Development consultant (1994–present) Team leader or consultant for the World Bank (IRQUE, Rs. 300M), European Commission, JAICA (post-tsunami Kalmunai), ILO (IRAP), UNDP, Kuwait Fund, KOICA and the Government of Maldives. Director of the Local Technical Secretariat of the IRQUE World Bank project at SEUSL (2006–2009). Independent academic, economics and project-management consultant since 2019. ### Honours and recognition - **2013** · Golden Star for Academic & Educational Excellence — World Marketing Summit, Malaysia - **2013** · Visiting Professor — Management and Science University, Malaysia - **2011** · Honorary Professorship — Shenyang Aerospace University, China - **2010** · Amity Global Academic Excellence Award — Amity University, 12th International Business Summit, New Delhi - **2008** · Universal Peace Ambassador — Universal Peace Federation (USA), International Leadership Conference, Seoul - **2006** · Commonwealth Academic Fellowship — Commonwealth Fellowship Commission, University of Bradford, UK - **2004** · IRQUE World Bank Grant (Rs. 300M) — national competition winner for SEUSL - **1982** · Government Scholarship for MSc & PhD studies in Ukraine — Ministry of Higher Education of Sri Lanka --- ## Positions held (chronological, selected) - **2019 – present** · Freelance Academic, Economics & Project Management Consultant, Independent Practice - **2018 – 2020** · Member of Parliament (National List), Parliament of Sri Lanka - **2015 – 2018** · Chairman, Sri Lanka Handicraft Board (LAKSALA) - **2009 – 2015** · Vice Chancellor, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka - **2006 – 2009** · Director, LTS / IRQUE World Bank Project, SEUSL - **2005 – 2006** · Visiting Scholar (Research), University of Bradford, UK - **2002 – 2018** · Senior Lecturer Grade I, SEUSL - **1999 – 2002** · Dean, Faculty of Management and Commerce, SEUSL - **1996 – 2005** · Head, Department of Social Sciences, SEUSL - **1996 – 2002** · Senior Lecturer Grade II, SEUSL (founding faculty member) - **1994** · Assistant Lecturer in Economics, Donetsk State University --- ## Areas of expertise - Financial economics and public policy - Higher-education governance, quality assurance and accreditation - Post-conflict and post-tsunami development - Peace-building and conflict resolution - Socio-economic assessment and project evaluation --- ## References / primary sources 1. Personal eProfile (owner-verified): https://profismail.eprofile.bio/ 2. South Eastern University of Sri Lanka — Office of the Vice Chancellor records 3. Parliament of Sri Lanka — National List appointments (2018–2020) 4. Commonwealth Fellowship Commission — Academic Fellowship records (2005–2006)