Senior Lecturer (Grade II)
Ph.D (Swinburne University of Technology) Melbourne, Australia. Visiting Ph.D. Fellow (United Nations University-WIDER), Helsinki, Finland. Masters in Economics-M.Econ. (University of Colombo), Sri Lanka. B.A. Hons Economics (University of Perdeniya), Sri Lanka.Social Studies
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Contact:
Colombo Regional Center, 1st Floor (Building No 14), Department of Social Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Office: +94 (0) 112881300, Ext: 2408
E-mail: hmkos@ou.ac.lk
Biography:
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, followed by a Master’s degree obtained through research that ultimately led to a Ph.D. in the same field. Throughout this academic journey, I was honored with prestigious awards, including the DVC R Writing Award from Swinburne University of Technology during my Ph.D. My research even garnered a nomination for the esteemed Iain Wallace Research Medal by my Ph.D.’s external examiner, a true testament to the impact of my work.
This passion for economic analysis now fuels my work as a Senior Lecturer in Economics. I leverage large, complex datasets to uncover economic trends. These datasets encompass bilateral trade data (covering large groups of countries and their manufacturing sectors), firm-level data, and even patent data. By employing advanced econometric techniques, I extract insights from these complex data structures. Ultimately, my goal is to use these insights to inform evidence-based policy decisions that drive sustainable economic development.
Building on this interest in economic trends, my Ph.D. research focused panel data econometrics which explored how institutional quality incorporating factors like property rights and government effectiveness can be analyzed using this approach to understand its impact on economies, particularly in complex scenarios.
Academic Expertise:
I’ve actively shared my knowledge through various conference presentations, authored journal articles and monographs, and played a significant role in shaping the curriculum at the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL). Within their Economics modules alone, I’ve authored over 30 sessions covering a wide range of topics, from the philosophical foundations of economics to international economics, urban economics, and principles of econometrics.
Areas of Specialization:Econometrics, International Development Economics, Economics of Innovation
Research interests:International Development Economics, Climate Change, Environmental Economics
Affiliations:PhD Research Fellow, United Nations University, Helsinki, Finland
Programme Coordination:BA in Social Sciences, Economics and Development Studies Discipline
Environmental Economics and Management, Centre for Environmental Studies & Sustainable Development, OUSL
Course Coordination:DSP9502 Environmental Economics and Management
DSU4334 International Economics
DSU4333 Development Economics
Awards:DVC Research Writing Award, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia 2022
Visiting Ph.D. Fellowship, United Nations University, Helsinki, Finland – Spring 2022
Doctoral Research Scholarship, AHEAD Project of the World Bank Group 2019.
Doctoral Research Fee Waiver Scholarship, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia 2019.
Nominated by the Ph.D.’s external examiner for the esteemed Iain Wallace Research Medal for the postgraduate researcher in 2023.
Link to the PhD Thesis:
https://researchbank.swinburne.edu.au/items/a839e54f-987f-4c89-baca-b2d5eb0bb931/1/
Publications:Selected Conference Proceedings:
7th SANEM Annual Economists’ Conference (SAEC) 2024, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Asia Pacific Innovation Conference, Zhenjiang, China, December 2021.
United Nations University, WIDER Seminar Series, Helsinki, Finland, June 2022.
CTI Workshop presentation, Swinburne Unviersity of Technology, August 2022.
7th East Asian Economic Association (EAEA) International Convention, Sunway University, Malaysia, August 2022.
Accepted for the workshop on Analytical Modelling Approaches to Understanding Democracy, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, August 2022.
Accepted for Asia Pacific Innovation Conference, Incheon, South Korea, October 2022.
Selected Journal Articles:
Koswatta, Achinthya, (2022), Can domestic institutions affect exports and innovation?: Mediation effects of institutional quality on manufacturing sector exports and innovation in developing countries, No wp-2022-83, WIDER Working Paper Series, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER), https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2022-83.
Kollmann,T., Koswatta, A., Palangkaraya, A. and Webster,B. 2020. The Impact of Design Rights on Australian Firms. IP Australia Economic Research Paper 09.
Koswatta, A., Kollmann, T., Palangkaraya, A. and Webster,B. 2020. Valuing Designs: The Economic Impact of Design Rights in Australia. IP Australia Valuing Designs Report No 01.
Guruge, M., Koswatta, A., Silva, S. 2020. Key Determinants of Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction of the Middle East Inbound Tourist to Sri Lanka. Journal of Tourism Economics and Applied Research. Vol.4.
Koswatta, A. 2019. Economy of India: Lessons and Priorities. The Catalyst- Journal of Management, Baddi University, India. Vol.4, Issue I.
Guruge, M., Koswatta, A. and Silva, S. 2019. Fiscal Policy and the Economic Growth: A Comparison Between Sri Lanka and India. Sri Lankan Journal of Business Economics. Vol.8, Issue I.
Koswatta, A. 2018. Currency Wars in Asia. Journal of Accountancy and Finance, Wayamba University Sri Lanka. Vol.4, Issue I.
Koswatta, A. 2017. Fifty Years of Sri Lankan Economy. Professor Vidanapathirana Felicitation Volume, The Open University of Sri Lanka.
Koswatta, A. 2016. Public Spending and Economic Prosperity: Special Reference to Post Independence Sri Lanka. The Open University Annual Academic Sessions.
Koswatta, A., Sivarajasingham, S. 2014. The J curve Exposure: Analysis of the Effective Exchange Rates. LAMBERT Academic Publishing GmbH & Co.
Koswatta, A. 2014. Money and Inflation. The Open University Annual Academic Sessions.
Koswatta, A. 2013. The Volatility of Real Effective Exchange Rate of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Economic Researc Symposium, December 2013.
Koswatta, A. 2013. The J curve Exposure. The Open University Annual Academic Sessions.
Selected Text Books:
Koswatta, A. and Edirisinghe, N.D. 2018. Principles of Econometrics, Open University Press, Open University of Sri Lanka.
Morais, S.N. and Koswatta, A. 2016. International Economics, Open University Press, Open University of Sri Lanka. Online Course available at E-learn, OUSL Learning Management System.
Vidanapathirana, U., Morais, S.N. and Koswatta, A. 2016. Philosophical Foundations of Economics, Open University Press, Open University of Sri Lanka. Online Course available at LearnOUSL, Open University of Sri Lanka Learning Management System.
Ongoing Research:
The Importance of Different Institutions in Promoting Exports from Developing Countries : A Panel Data Gravity Trade Model Approach
The Impact of Delayed IMF Assistance on Exchange Rate Stability: A Forecasting Analysis
Exports, Economic Growth, and Institutional Quality: A Nexus Analysis
Innovation-Driven Exports and Institutional Quality: Empirical Insights from Developing Economies
URLs:
https://econpapers.repec.org/paper/unuwpaper/wp-2022-83.htm
https://journals.sjp.ac.lk/index.php/sljbe/article/view/3982
https://www.amazon.com/Curve-Exposure-Analysis-Effective-Exchange/dp/365968774X
Professional Expertise / Licenses and Certificates:
Manage Successful Impact Evaluation Surveys Course (June, 2022) , The World Bank’s Development Impact (DIME) Department, The World Bank Group, IBRD- IDA.
Manage Successful Field Research, DIME Analytics Course, (June, 2023), The World Bank’s Development Impact (DIME) Department, The World Bank Group, IBRD- IDA.
Graduate Certificate of Research and Innovation Management, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.
Reproducible Research Fundamentals Course (December 2023), The World Bank’s Development Impact (DIME) Department, The World Bank Group, IBRD- IDA.
Effective Research Writing (April 2022), United Nations University, World Institute of development Economic Research, Helsinki, Finland.
Operations of the Central Bank and the Monetary Law Act , certified by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Preparing the Manuscript, certified by Elsevier Publishing.
BSafe Securing Awareness Training, United Nations Department of Safety & Security.
Using Proper Scientific Language in Research, certified by Elsevier Publishing.
Academic Service:
Discussant : 7th East Asian Economic Association (EAEA) International Convention, Sunway University, Malaysia, August 2022.
Reviewer : International Open University Research Sessions 2023.
Organizing Committee Member, Reviewer and Evaluator : Student Research Symposium, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, OUSL 2023.
Reviewer : Vavuniya Journal of Business Management (VJBM).
Post-Graduate Thesis Co-Supervision:
Public policies on tea industry and their impact on foreign exchange by M. R. Murugesu.
Analyzing the role of Facebook in shaping political discourse and ideological shift in young voters in Sri Lanka by W.M.N.K.Wijesinghe.