Completing twenty five years of service at the Open University of Sri Lanka in January 2012, Dr. Mahim Mendis was unanimously elected as Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in October 2010. During this period, Dr. Mendis has had the privilege in serving the University as Faculty Representative to the Senate in 1993, Head of the multidisciplinary Department of Social Studies from 2002 to 2006 and as acting Dean on a number of occasions.

Dr. Mendis completed his entire education at St. Thomas’ Preparatory School, Colombo 3 and at St. Thomas College, Mt Lavinia before entering the University of Kelaniya for his undergraduate education. After graduating in 1986, he was the recipient of a number of competitive national and international scholarships such as Sri Lanka Presidential Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies awarded by the Office of the President of the Republic of Sri Lanka (1989-1990); Chevening Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies awarded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the British Government (1994-1996); Postgraduate Research Scholarship by the University Grants Commission of India (1995); the National University of Singapore Doctoral Scholarship (1999-2002); and, the US State Department Award for Training in Good Governance at the University of Northern Illinois, USA (2004).

Being a member of the Senior Management, Dr. Mendis is also at present the Spokesman of the Federation of University teachers in Sri Lanka, the Professional association representing the rights and welfare of university teachers in fifteen national universities.