Leadership
Great leaders inspire with their vision, integrity, and empathy. They empower teams, foster innovation and lead by example, cultivating a positive and motivating environment where everyone excels
Prof. Ashu Marasinghe
Founder & Chairman of GSDC
Professor Ashu Marasinghe, a distinguished scholar, held the esteemed position of Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Nagaoka University of Technology in Japan. Additionally, he served as a respected member of the Sri Lankan Parliament. His academic journey commenced at the University of Colombo, Faculty of Science, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1997. Subsequently, he pursued postgraduate studies at the University of Aizu, Japan, earning both his Master’s (MSc) and doctoral degrees in Computer Science and Engineering, specializing in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Recognizing his outstanding research abilities, Prof. Ashu received the prestigious JSPS post-doctoral fellowship from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science in 2004. During this tenure, he engaged in numerous collaborative research projects with fellow scholars.
After completing his post-doctoral fellowship, Prof. Ashu assumed the role of Associate Professor at Nagaoka University of Technology. Due to his dedication and expertise, he was promoted to the distinguished title of Distinguished Professor by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in 2008. This title enabled him to supervise Ph.D. students and deliver lectures to doctoral candidates. Concurrently, he served as a Visiting Professor at the International University of Japan.
Prof. Ashu’s research has primarily focused on cutting-edge fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Cinematic Engineering, Computer Graphics, Multimedia, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Public Health Informatics, U/E/Smart-Governance, Social Informatics and Kansei Engineering. He has authored over 100 articles in prestigious journals and presented his findings at numerous international conferences worldwide. His impactful research has been cited extensively in various scholarly works and has amassed over 600 citations on Google Scholar.
Returning to his homeland, Prof. Ashu ventured into politics and was elected as a Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament in 2015. Within the parliament, he assumed a crucial role as the first Sectoral Oversight Committee Chairman on Education and Development of the 8th Parliament of Sri Lanka. His leadership was pivotal in spearheading national initiatives focused on education and human resource development.
Beyond his national contributions, Prof. Ashu played a significant role in strengthening relations between Sri Lanka and Japan. Notably, he served as the former Secretary General of the Sri Lanka – Japan Parliamentary Friendship Association and collaborated closely with various Japanese universities. He represented Sri Lanka on multiple occasions, accompanying former President Hon. Maithripala Sirisena and former Prime Minister Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe during their visits to Japan and being invited by former Prime Minister Hon. Shinzo Abe.
Prof. Ashu Marasinghe’s remarkable achievements in academia and politics have left a profound impact, inspiring advancements in various fields and promoting international cooperation between Sri Lanka and Japan.
Mrs. Dakshika Nonis
Director/Head of Academic
Mrs. Dakshika Nonis has 8 years of experience living in Japan. Her journey in Japan started when she was selected to Japan as an AFS Intercultural Program Student (International Youth Exchange Program) at the age of 17 and experienced Japanese Culture and School life, living with a Japanese host family. After completing a year as an Exchange Student, she returned to Sri Lanka but returned to Japan to complete her high School Studies. After graduating high school she entered Obihiro Women’s Junior College as a Rotary Yoneyama Foundation Scholar and completed an Associate Degree and Life Science and Computer Studies. After graduating she was employed at Obihiro City Hall, Hokkaido as an International Relations Coordinator (CIR) and served as an interpreter, and translator for 4 years.
After leaving Japan she moved to Abu Dhabi, U. A. E. and was employed at Hitachi Transport System, Ltd. – Abu Dhabi Representative Office where she served as a Secretary / Freight Forwarding Coordinator for 10 years.
Returning to Sri Lanka in 2006, She joined “The British School in Colombo” as a Japanese Language Teacher and began her career as a Japanese Language Teacher. Mrs. Nonis joined GSDC in 2021 to teach the 1st batch of students.
Mrs. Nonis has completed several Japanese Language Training Courses conducted by the Japan Foundation, Japan and New Delhi. She has been a member of the Japanese Language Teachers’ Association of Sri Lanka (JALTAS) since 2008 and has served as the President, Vice President and Secretary. She is an Exam Director for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT).
Dr. Piyal Ariyananda
Director of Science, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship
Dr. Piyal Ariyananda is a distinguished Sri Lankan industrial scientist and innovator. A graduate of the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon, he launched his career as a Chemist at Unilever, Ceylon. Dr. Piyal later earned an MSc in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Louisiana, Monroe, followed by a PhD in Bio Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Delaware, where he also completed postdoctoral research. He became the first Sri Lankan Postdoctoral Scientist at BASF Catalytic Research Laboratory.
Returning to Sri Lanka, Dr. Piyal held leadership roles in R&D and innovation at Midas Safety, MAS-Bodyline, and Stretchline Holdings. He has contributed significantly to STEM education and policy development in Sri Lanka and holds international patents for his innovations. Dr. Piyal is also a prominent science communicator and currently serves as the Director of Science, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship at the Global Skills Development Campus.
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How To Apply
Your Application
Tell us a little about yourself and we’ll help with the rest. Our convenient online application tool only takes 10 minutes to complete.
Our Response
After you submit your application, an admissions representative will contact you and will help you to complete the process.
Your Journey
Once you’ve completed your application and connected with an admissions representative, you’re ready to create your schedule.