-- Dr. Jagath Seneviratne has been honored with a 2025 Global Recognition Award for his significant contributions to enhancing access to higher education, promoting international employment pathways, and advancing environmental sustainability in Sri Lanka. The recognition acknowledges his leadership across three critical sectors that address systemic inequalities while creating measurable opportunities for disadvantaged populations. His work demonstrates how entrepreneurship can serve as a vehicle for social development rather than simply generating profit.
Photo Courtesy of Dr. Jagath Seneviratne
The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in leadership, service, innovation, and mentoring through a rigorous evaluation process. Dr. Seneviratne's selection was based on an assessment using the Rasch model, which creates a linear measurement scale that allows precise comparisons between candidates excelling in different domains. A screening panel of industry experts evaluated applicants based on industry recognition, innovation, leadership, service, sustainability, and social responsibility. Dr. Seneviratne received the highest rating of 5, denoting exceptional or world-class achievement, across all 21 evaluation criteria.
Expanding Access to Higher Education
Dr. Seneviratne serves as the owner and president of KIU University, one of Sri Lanka's most trusted private institutions, recognized by the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, as well as the University Grants Commission. The institution has enabled over 6,000 economically disadvantaged students to access higher learning through the Government Interest-Free Student Loan Scheme, which provides financial support that would otherwise remain unavailable to young people from rural areas and low-income families. His leadership has positioned KIU as a gateway for students who face insurmountable financial barriers to university attendance.
The university admitted 2,737 students under this program in 2022 alone, representing the highest intake among all non-state institutions in the country and demonstrating Dr. Seneviratne's commitment to educational equity. "We recognized that financial barriers were preventing talented young people from pursuing their potential, so our commitment is to ensure that economic circumstances do not determine educational opportunity," Dr. Seneviratne explained. His approach addresses the fundamental reality that merit alone cannot overcome poverty without institutional support systems designed to level the playing field.
Building International Employment Pathways
Dr. Seneviratne extended his influence beyond academia through his role as chairman of EIPER International (Private) Limited, a government-licensed recruitment firm holding full recognition under the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment. Operating within the Japan OTIT system, EIPER has facilitated international job placements for thousands of Sri Lankan professionals—particularly nurses, caregivers, and skilled workers—through partnerships with organizations across Japan, Australia, Germany, Canada, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, and Vietnam. The firm developed a comprehensive model combining language training, professional development, and ethical recruitment practices to ensure fair treatment and career advancement for workers overseas.
This approach has helped thousands of families achieve financial stability while contributing to the national economy through foreign remittances, reducing unemployment domestically, and strengthening international economic ties through sustainable employment practices. "Labor migration can serve as a tool for economic development when implemented with proper safeguards and training programs that prioritize worker welfare alongside organizational efficiency," Dr. Seneviratne noted. His recruitment model addresses a critical gap in Sri Lanka's labor market by connecting qualified professionals with global opportunities while maintaining ethical standards that protect workers from exploitation and ensure their long-term career growth.
Environmental Leadership Through Community Action
Dr. Seneviratne serves as president of Green Cross Sri Lanka, an organization affiliated with Green Cross International, founded by Hon. Mikhail Gorbachev, the Founder of Green Cross International and Former President of the Soviet Union (Presently known as the Russian Federation), where he has directed nationwide sustainability programs addressing water scarcity and environmental awareness for nearly two decades. The Smart Water Projects, supported by Giorgio Armani's Acqua for Life, Green Cross Japan, and the Embassy of Japan, provided clean drinking water to over 1,200 rural families in drought-stricken regions where access to safe water had been virtually nonexistent. These installations directly improved public health outcomes by reducing waterborne diseases in communities previously reliant on contaminated sources, resulting in measurable decreases in illness rates and associated healthcare costs.
The Green Lane Diary Project has educated thousands of schoolchildren about environmental stewardship through curriculum-integrated programs that combine classroom learning with practical conservation activities, fostering long-term sustainability awareness. More than 50 students and teachers from Sri Lanka have represented the country at global eco-education forums in Japan, extending the program's influence beyond national borders and creating ambassadors for environmental action within their communities. His environmental initiatives demonstrate a model for addressing resource scarcity through community-based solutions that combine international partnerships with local implementation while building capacity to ensure long-term sustainability beyond initial infrastructure improvements.
Final Words
Dr. Seneviratne's achievements demonstrate a unified approach to social development that integrates learning opportunities, employment pathways, and environmental sustainability across multiple sectors, collectively strengthening communities. More than 6,000 students who have gained access to university education, thousands of families who have benefited from international employment opportunities, and over 1,200 households that now have access to clean water stand as tangible evidence of his lasting impact on disadvantaged communities. His initiatives share common characteristics, including measurable outcomes, adherence to ethical standards, and the development of sustainable systems rather than temporary interventions that fail to create lasting change.
"Dr. Jagath Seneviratne has demonstrated exceptional ability to identify critical gaps in learning institutions, employment markets, and environmental services, then develop scalable solutions that generate lasting social influence," said Alex Sterling, spokesperson for Global Recognition Awards. "His recognition with a 2025 Global Recognition Award acknowledges his individual achievements and his model for combining innovation with social responsibility to create inclusive development that changes lives through compassion, strategic vision, and consistent commitment to ethical leadership."
About Global Recognition Awards
Global Recognition Awards is an international organization that recognizes exceptional companies and individuals who have significantly contributed to their industry.
Contact Info:
Name: Alexander Sterling
Email: Send Email
Organization: Global Recognition Awards
Website: https://globalrecognitionawards.org
Release ID: 89173126
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