Mr. Kavinga Yapa Abeywardena is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Computing at the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), with over eight years of academic experience in cybersecurity and information systems engineering. He holds a Master of Science in Network & Information Security with Distinction from Kingston University, UK, and a First Class Honours degree in Computer Networks from the University of Hertfordshire.

Mr. Abeywardena’s academic and research interests span key areas of information security, including cloud security, enterprise risk management, social engineering, privacy in big data, and cyber governance. He has established a strong research profile with over 40 peer-reviewed publications in internationally recognized journals and conferences, alongside active involvement in research projects and academic collaborations.

At SLIIT, he plays a pivotal role in academic leadership as the Programme Coordinator of the BSc (Hons) in Information Technology specializing in Cyber Security, a position he has held since 2019, following his tenure as Year Coordinator. He is also actively engaged in curriculum development, research supervision, and industry collaboration, contributing significantly to the advancement of cybersecurity education in Sri Lanka.

Prior to entering academia, Mr. Abeywardena gained industry experience as a Network & Presales Engineer at Lanka Communications (Pvt) Ltd, a subsidiary of Singapore Telecom, where he was involved in the design, deployment, and maintenance of network solutions, including IPTV implementations for the hospitality sector. His professional expertise is further strengthened by industry certifications such as CCNA and CCNSP.

A passionate educator and cybersecurity advocate, Mr. Abeywardena continues to contribute to academia, industry, and policy-level initiatives, while mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

• MSc(Hons)  Kingston, UK
• BSc(Hons) Herts, UK

• Oustanding Teacher Award at SLIIT Staff Awards (2025)
• Best Performer Award - Certificate in Teaching Methodology in Higher Education (2019)
• Academic Excellence Award (2010) - Thames Valley University, West London 

• Co investigator: Enhancing Multifactor authentication for financial services using location-based services. (SLIIT Grant)