Dr. Madura Thiwanka Pathirana
Dr. Madura Thivanka Pathirana is a Sri Lankan and Australian academic specializing in sustainable tourism and business management. He holds a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, UK, and currently serves as a Senior Lecturer at Edith Cowan University Sri Lanka. In 2025, he completed a Research Fellowship in Blue Economics and Sustainable Tourism at Griffith University, Australia. His research focuses on eco-innovation, climate-friendly travel, and community-based tourism. Dr. Pathirana has led multiple DFAT Australiafunded projects promoting sustainable tourism in Sri Lanka and has published widely in international journals. He is dedicated to fostering sustainability-driven leadership and developing future-ready professionals in tourism and business education.
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Doctor of Business Administration (2015 – 2020)
University of Wales Trinity St David, UK
Thesis: Sustainable business model for boutique hotel operations - Master of Business Administration (2012-2014)
Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK - Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Business Administration (2008-2011)
Staffordshire University (UK)
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
- Griffith University, Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT)
Research Fellow (2025)
Edith Cowan University (Australia, Sri Lanka)
Senior Lecturer (2021-2025) - British School of Commerce (Sri Lanka)
Lecturer (2019-2021) - University of West of England (Sri Lanka)
Program Lead (2017-2019)
Senior Lecturer (2017-2019)
ESOFT Metro Campus (Negombo, Sri Lanka)
Business School Head (2014-2017)
RESEARCH AREAS / FIELDS
- Blue Economics and Marine Tourism
- Regenerative Tourism
- Sustainable Tourism
RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS
- Pathirana, M.T. (2025)
An examine of eco-tourism potentials in Sri Lanka through digital storytelling, International Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2(1), 54-96 - Pathirana, M.T. (2025)
Empowering Communities Through Gastronomic Tourism: A Sustainable Development Model in Sri Lankas Cultural Triangle, Book chapter, editors Anukrati Sharma, Jeetesh Kumar, Samik RayGastronomic Tourism – Discovering the World through Culinary Journeys. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/epdf/10.1079/9781800628854.0008 - Pathirana, M.T. (2025)
Sri Lankas tourism: Avoiding Bali 2.0 by balancing growth with preservation. Contemporary Research Topics in Art & Design, 29. Available at: https://doi.org/10.34074/scop.1029017
RESEARCH & CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS / EXHIBITIONS
- Pathirana, M. T., Silva, M. D., & Warnakula, U. S. (2025)
Youth Cycling Tourism on the Sunshine Coast: Exploring Impacts and Sustainability for Future Generations, Cycling and Society Annual conference 2025, Glasglow, Scotland. - Pathirana, M.T. (2025).
Adapting crisis recovery models to a multi-crisis tourism industry: the case of Sri Lanka. CAUTHE Conference 2025, Brisbane, Australia. - Pathirana, M. T., Silva, M. D., & Warnakula, U. S. (2025)
Balancing Nature-Based Tourism and Ecological Integrity: Mitigating Human-Elephant Conflict in Sri Lankas Protected Areas, Leisure Studies Annual Conference, York, UK - Pathirana, M.T., Rathnasri, S., & Sirisena, D.C. (2024).
Integrating Sustainable Tourism for Mangrove Conservation in Sri Lanka: Insights from Community-Based Management and Eco-Tourism Initiatives. Presented at the International Conference on Mangroves for Sustainability (ICMS), Sri Lanka. - Pathirana, M.T. & Putri, A. (2024).
Enriching Tourist Experiences with Authentic Culinary Journeys: The ‘Sri Lankan Delights’ Initiative. Proceedings of 8th Asia Euro Conference 2023: Tourism, Hospitality & Gastronomy.
RESEARCH GRANTS
- Pathirana, M.T., Gardiner, S. and Scott, N. (2024)
DFAT Australia
Intergovernmental policy recommendations to Sri Lankan government from Australia ($170,000) - Pathirana, M.T (2024)
DFAT Australia
Equipping youth with skills in sustainable tourism, focusing on promoting eco-friendly tourism practices. - Pathirana, M.T (2023)
DFAT Australia
Managed and developed training programs for youth, enabling them to adopt sustainable tourism strategies in the Central Province of Sri Lanka
AWARDS & HONOURS
Early Career Researcher of the year 2025
The Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE)
Read more 
Academic Ambassador and Teacher, Corporate Training & Pathway
James McMillanJames was born in England, but spent his formative years not far from Vietnam, in Brunei. In 1986 James moved back to the UK with his family, where he remained until 2015. Following graduation in 1996, he embarked on a career in the financial industry, working for HBOS and then Lloyds Banking Group. Before leaving […]
Senior Lecturer
Dr. Giovanni MerolaRaised and educated in Rome, Italy, Giovanni completed a double major Bachelor degree in Statistics and Economics from the university La Sapienza in Rome. He completed his Masters and Ph.D. in Statistics at the University of Waterloo in 1994 and 1998, respectively. He was associate professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalunya in Spain, then […]
Senior Teaching Fellow
Scott David CooperRaised and educated in New York, New York City, Scott completed a Bachelor degree in Media Communications (Animation, Cartooning, Illustration) from the School of Visual Arts 1986. Following graduation in 1986, he moved to California for a job in animation field with Filmation that fell through.狼his encouraged him to explore the new world of graphic […]
Teaching Fellow
Sandra SchneidermanSandra is Student Success Lead and a Teaching Instructor. She liaises with faculty and students to develop individualised success lessons and learning plans. Raised in New Zealand and educated in Australia, Sandra received her Bachelor of Education and Master of Education at The University of Melbourne. She also has a Post-Graduate Certificate in Gifted Education […]
Associate Lecturer
Programme Lead - Software Engineering
Born in Scotland, Fraser completed a Software Engineering degree (Bachelor of Engineering with Honours) from Edinburgh Napier University in 2013. With a primary focus on machine learning and genetic algorithms. After graduating, Fraser worked as a software developer in the oil and gas industry and as a cloud-based consultant developing and customizing customer relationship management […]
Teaching Fellow
Tran Phuong Thao NgocTran Phuong Thao Ngoc is a design educator and graphic designer specialising in branding and website design. Born in Hue, Vietnam, she earned a full scholarship to 91做厙 and graduated with first-class honours in Contemporary Creative Practice: Graphic Design in 2021. After discovering her passion for design education and academia, Ngoc remained at […]
Senior Lecturer
Programme Lead Professional Communication
Before joining BUV, Dr. Pham Hai Chung was a researcher at Harvard Kennedy School in the U.S. She earned her Ph.D. in Media and Communication from Bournemouth University, England, and holds an M.A. in International Journalism from Hong Kong Baptist University. Chung’s Ph.D research focuses on the evolving narratives of Vietnam, examining its war-torn past […]
Teaching Fellow
Julien PsomasAs Julien was studying for his BA Hons in Marketing in bonny Scotland, he discovered hospitality, its rhythm, its multicultural pool of talents, its long shifts, and the passion behind all this. Beside his studies, he worked in banqueting in St Andrews and later as a bartender. Julien quickly became team leader and got the […]
Senior Teaching Fellow
Ramona Anna SlusarczykMs. Ramona Anna Slusarczyk is an international PR practitioner and academic with extensive experience teaching British, Australian, and American curricula across the UK, Vietnam, and the UAE. She has held senior academic leadership roles at Newcastle University, including Senior Lecturer in Corporate Communication and PR, Head of Learning and Teaching, Chair of the Board of […]
Associate Professor
Programme Lead - Tourism Management
Originally from Germany, Marengained her PhD from Edinburgh Napier University in the UK in 2016with a thesis exploring commemorative narratives of the anniversary events of the fall of the Berlin Wall. She alsoholds an undergraduate degree in International Hospitality Management fromStendenUniversity in the Netherlands and an MSc in Tourism and Events from the University of […]