The inauguration ceremony of the second Vidyodaya Undergraduate Research Day (VURD 2018) “Pathways to Excellence: from student to researcher” organized by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS), University of Sri Jayewardenepura was held on the 10^th of July 2018 at the Sumangala Mandiraya.   The purpose of the Conference was to provide an academic platform for final year students to present extended abstracts based on their final year dissertations. The technical sessions were taken place from 8.00am –  4.00 pm 11^th of July 2018 under the 23 tracks such as Agriculture, Land Use, and Rural Economics, Reshaping the Social and Cultural Landscape, Disaster Preparedness and Management, Buddhist teachings and ideological frontiers etc.

The inauguration ceremony was graced by the Chief Guest & Keynote Speaker Prof. Dulini Fernando from Warwick University, UK, and Prof. Sampath Amaratunge, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Mrs. Sandya Wijebandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Research, Prof. D. P. S. Chandrakumara, Dean Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prof. Hemanthi Ranasinghe, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, Snr. Prof. E. Dayarathne, Director EDECU, and by Mr. Ganasiri Britto, Registrar of the University. VURD 2018 chaired by Ven. Dr. Pinnawala Sangasumana with the assistance of the Secretary Mrs. Imesha Dharmasena. Heads of Departments, academic and non-academics and students of the faculty actively participated to make the event a success.